Disclaimer: This is the second story in a series, you may need to read Book one just to understand some of the relationships. There is the mention of child abuse, but nothing graphic. There is a loving relationship between two women that at times will be expressed physically. There also is some violence in this story . . .

JAZ Copyright Jan. 2007

Generations

Book 2

By J. A. Zollicoffer

Lisa had just ended her first trimester, and she and Dani finally felt comfortable enough letting their friends know about the baby. They had only told Lisa's parents and Dani's father and grandparents about their good news.

Everyone was over the moon. Alice called daily to get a report as to how Lisa was feeling. She had even made a trip from Largo to bring her daughter a care package filled with ginger ale, saltines and broth, so that when the morning sickness hit her, she would be prepared.

Little did anyone know, it was Dani that suffered from the morning sickness. Every morning before she left for work, she had to worship the porcelain god for fifteen minutes. Lisa was always waiting with a sports drink to replenish her mate.

They still hadn't told anyone that the baby was Dani's biological child, they figured that info could wait until after the birth.

They were getting dressed for Cynthia's annual July fourth barbeque, and the little blonde was hard pressed to find something that would fit. “I can't believe a whole year has passed since the last barbeque.”

The tall electrician joined her in their walk-in closet. “I know, it seems like yesterday that I was asking Cynthia to help me plan a surprise party for you.”

Lisa turned and looked-up at her wife dreamy eyed. “That's a day I'll never forget. It was the day you asked me to marry you.”

They shared a brief kiss and then separated. “What's taking you so long to pick out something to wear baby?”

“Well . . . it seems that there isn't anything in this closet that will fit me.”

A large hand settled on the small bulge that was becoming more and more pronounced daily. “Our little addition is telling you that it's time to go shopping for maternity clothes.”

“I know . . . I've been putting it off because I haven't been going anywhere lately, but now I have no choice.”

Dani kissed the soft hair that covered Lisa's head. “Why don't you wear one of my shirts and a pair of my shorts?”

Lisa thought for a second. “Well, I could get away with the top, but the shorts will never fasten across my stomach. You may be taller than I am, but your waist is small.”

Dani exhaled. “You know what this means don't you?”

The pregnant woman turned her head and look up at her wife. “No, what does this mean?”

The electrician smiled brightly. “It's time to go on a shopping trip.” Dani went back into their bedroom and pulled a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt out of the drawer.

Lisa entered the room as her tall spouse was pulling out the shirt. “You mean right now?!”

“Yep, We'll do some light shopping then we'll go to the gathering.”

The teacher starting pulling on the pants. “What ever you say baby.”

*******

Dani was stretched out on a lounge chair, with Lisa laying between her legs. Long fingers unconsciously massaged the raised mound that was now Lisa's stomach. After a quick stop at the maternity shop they arrived at Cynthia's with plenty of time to spare. After a full day, they were taking a few minutes to relax.

They were unaware of the three sets of eyes that were observing them. Shirley looked at Kat and asked her if she thought that the married couple was acting strange.

Kat was a well built gym teacher with shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes and at five foot eight, she was a couple of inches taller than Shirley. The women had been dating for a little more than a year, and kinda felt like this might be it.

Shirley realized that Kat was a very important part of her life when the gym teacher had to go out of town to care for her sick mother and couldn't attend Dani and Lisa's wedding. That had been a long week for the architect.

“Mmm, I don't know babe. What do you think, Cynthia?” The writer scratched her jaw. I can't put my finger on it, but there is definitely something going on with those two.”

The barbeque had been going on for hours and not only did the two woman barely eat anything, but they didn't have anything to drink except juice and water.

Shirley was getting tired of trying to guess what was going on and decided to just walk over to the women and ask them point blank. The architect pushed a few of her blonde curls out of her face and headed towards the area where her friends were sitting.

Because both sets of eyes were closed neither woman saw the trio approaching. When they heard someone clear their throat, blue and green looked up to see three women standing in front of them with their hands on their hips.

Shirley spoke first. “Okay. Spill it.”

Lisa turned her head so that she could look up at Dani. “What is she talking about?”

The dark beauty kissed her mate's temple. “I don't have a clue, Beth.” The teacher turned her green gaze on the three women again. “What are you talking about?”

“Don't give me that innocent, ‘what are you talking about' crap. You two are up to something and you are going to tell us what it is . . . Now!”

The blonde nestled down deeper into her wife's strong body. She had every intention of telling her friends what was going on, she just wanted to yank their chains a little first. “You are hallucinating Shirley.”

Cynthia decided that she would give it a shot. “You guys haven't had much to eat, you've had nothing to drink and now you're laying in that lounge chair for all intents and purposes taking a nap. If that's not strange behavior at a barbeque, I don't know what is.”

Lisa couldn't stop the smile from pulling up the corners of her mouth. “Okay, maybe there is something going on.” She gently squeezed the hands that were resting on her middle.

“A few months back, Dani and I were thinking that it was time for us to start a family . . . ”

That's as far as she got. Three sets of eyes looked at Lisa's stomach, and finally noticed the bulge there. Shirley started screaming and jumping up and down. “Oh my God! You're pregnant!”

Everyone in the backyard stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction of the five women. The raised voices and the women jumping around, gave a clear indication that something very exciting was being shared.

The couple laughed out loud at their friend's excitement. Shirley's enthusiasm spilled over into the other two women and Kat and Cynthia found themselves jumping up and down right along with the architect.

“When . . . when am I going to be an aunt?”

“The baby should be born around Christmas.”

The writer, the gym teacher and the architect started counting on their fingers. Cynthia spoke first. “That means that you are four months already.”

Shirley put her hands on her hips. “Why are you just now getting around to telling us?”

Dani answered before Lisa had a chance to. “We wanted to be out of the first trimester before we told people about it.”

Kat asked why. Lisa responded. “Because most miscarriages occur during the first three months, we wanted to be pass those danger months before we told anyone.

Shirley gave them a face splitting smile. “In that case, you are forgiven.”

The women were so caught up in the moment, that they didn't notice when someone else joined their group, until they heard her acidy sweet voice.

“Well, well, well . . . aren't you two the queens of making life changing announcements at parties? Let me see . . . first there was the soul mate declaration, then there was the marriage proposal.”

Her chocolate brown eyes found Lisa's green. “And now . . . a baby is on the way.”

The bleached blonde walked around the women like a predator stalking its prey. She laughed, but the sound had no humor in it.

Lisa had seen Freda off and on since her birthday party, but they hadn't spent any real time together. And today, they had purposefully been avoiding each other.

Freda had been lurking around eavesdropping on the five friends, trying to pick-up bits and pieces of information on Lisa and Dani. Although Shirley and Cynthia still hung out with her, they never talked about the couple. So she had to get information the best way that she knew how.

She had been content to stay in the background and listen in, until she heard that the teacher was pregnant. And as it was with all things that went on in Dani and Lisa's life, it had an effect on her.

Cynthia and Shirley got quiet and became a little nervous and Kat squared her shoulders and glared at the brown-eyed woman. The three of them had no idea what Freda might do.

Over the past several months it seemed like their friend was becoming less and less stable . . . at least where Dani and Lisa were concerned.

Dani sat-up, dropped her feet to the ground and pulled Lisa closer. When she spoke, she smiled at Freda and tried to interject some humor into the tension filled atmosphere. “That is odd isn't it, it must be the alignment of the plants or something.”

The electrician speaking to Freda directly seemed to bring some sanity back into her eyes. “So . . . when is the little one due.”

There was a collective mental sigh of relief. Lisa answered. “Sometime this winter we think, maybe January.” For some reason she didn't want to tell the odd acting woman exactly when their baby was due.

“Well congratulations and good luck.” And just like that, she was gone.

Dani looked at Cynthia. “What in the hell is up with her?”

The writer shrugged her shoulders. “Every since the two of you announced your engagement she has been . . . kinda off center. She was beside herself when she wasn't invited to the wedding.”

Lisa became angry. “You have got to be kidding me. She lets me know that she wants my wife, and I'm suppose to invite her to the wedding?”

Shirley laughed a little. “She feels like, if she didn't come right out and say ‘Lisa I want to take Dani away from you,' that it was rude for you not to invite her.”

Lisa became even more irritated. “Is she insane?! Never mind don't answer that, the way she thinks just puts the frosting on her crazy cake.”

Dani rubbed her wife's stomach and whispered in her ear. “Ar hosfa llacio, meddwl am y baban.” (stay calm, think about the baby) Then she laughed. “You don't want to give the little one heartburn do you sweetheart?”

The blonde inhaled deeply and then blew it out slowly. “You're right cariad (love), I can't let her infect me with her insanity.”

The other women pulled up three chairs and sat with the couple. “Lisa, why did you act like you didn't know when you were due when Freda asked?”

“I don't know Kat, it just didn't feel right telling her.” She looked over her shoulder into eyes as blue as the July sky. “Do you know what I mean baby?”

“Come on, lets get off of the subject of the demented one. I want more info.”

Lisa rolled her green eyes. “Like what Shirley?”

The basics, you know, morning sickness, cravings all of that stuff.”

The teacher laughed when she heard her wife moan behind her. “ From the sound of that I take it Lisa has been putting you through it stud.”

Dani dropped her face into the blonde hair under her chin before Lisa answered. “Nah, it's more like she's been putting me through it.”

They heard a chorus of “What!”

“Yep, my big construction worker suffered with morning sickness for the first two months. And now she has the most disgusting cravings I have ever heard of.”

Kat leaned over onto Shirley laughing. “Like what?”

Dani's face was still in her wife's blonde hair. “Beth, if you love me . . . you won't go any further.”

“Sweetheart, you know that I love you more than life . . . but if you think that I'm not gonna tell them . . . you're sadly mistaken.”

Lisa returned her attention to her friends. “ Now as I was saying. She buys sardines by the case, then she opens a can, batters the greasy little smellys in corn meal and then deep fries them.”

She received a collective eeww!”

“Oh, that's not all, to top it off . . . she dips them in mustard before she eats them.”

The writer piped up. “That is the most disgusting thing that I've ever heard. Damn, which one of you is pregnant?”

“If my middle wasn't expanding daily I would swear it was my goofy.”

*******

The free lance photographer had removed the film she had shot from her camera bag, and was picking out the rolls that she wanted to develop first.

Every year she took pictures at the annual barbeque, and this year wasn't any different. Freda lived alone in a two bedroom bungalow styled home in Laurel. She had converted the extra bedroom into a darkroom. That's where she was now.

She knew that she had some very good shots of the tall electrician, and wanted to develop them quickly. As she leaned over the work table, strands of her bleached blonde hair fell forward. She had started letting her hair grow out last year, when she noticed that Dani liked to run her fingers through Lisa's long golden hair.

Freda started the process of developing her film, and as each picture came out of the solution, chocolate brown eyes scanned the sheet for any imperfections. Her skill was undeniable. The woman never lacked for work, her reputation in the industry was solid.

When the photos that she liked finished drying, she gathered them up and spread them out on her dining room table. She then pulled out a box that she stored on the top shelf of the coat closet. After she chose the items she wanted from the box, she put it aside.

Now, laying side-by-side were pictures of Dani from last year and this year. There were shots of the tall woman eating her lunch outside with co-workers, shots of her washing Lisa's Honda in their driveway and there were even shots of the dark beauty shopping for Christmas gifts last year.

As she studied the photographs, closely, she thought that the blue-eyed woman looked even happier in the latest pictures.

“Of course she does, the little fake is giving her a baby.”

That realization stopped the photographer's thoughts like a brick wall. Freda knew that she would never be able to give anyone children. The events of her childhood saw to that.

**

Freda Anderson grew up in the poor section of Waldorf Maryland. The trailer that she lived in wasn't nearly large enough to house her parents and seven siblings. She was the third oldest and the second daughter of eight children.

The family lived in a three bedroom, one and a half bathroom trailer on a small lot in the park. The trailers on both sides of the Anderson's were abandoned. The grass was so high that Freda would tell her younger siblings that there were monsters in it to keep them from wandering in and getting a possible snake bite.

To say that the family was poor, was an understatement. Freda's father drank too much and never held a job for long.

Her mother earned what she could as a cashier at the local grocery store. That was enough to pay the lot fee and keep the power on.

Management at the store felt so sorry for the woman that they would let her take home food that was starting to go bad.

The only freedom the small brown-eyed girl felt was when she got a hold of an out of date magazine. It didn't matter what kind of magazine it was, she always lost herself in the pictures.

Anything from an advertisement for a vacation spot with tall trees blowing in a warm breeze, to an ad showing a picture of a family sitting down for a huge holiday meal to sell a turkey. She always lost herself in the fantasy of being there.

She was content to look at the pictures and day dream, hoping that one day she could have those things for herself. That fantasy ended the day her father came home drunk with a few of his friends . . .

**

The photographer violently shook herself out of the past. “I will not relive those days. That is all in the past, and it was someone else's life . . . not mine!”

She started humming off key to a happy tune that she made-up, then went back to comparing her pictures. “I know that I can make you happy Dani . . . if you would just give me the chance.”

*******

JULY 20, 1990

The two women were sitting in the waiting room of their OB/GYN, Dr. Elaine Westman. Today they were going to have an ultrasound. They were so excited that they got very little sleep the night before.

“Beth, we are going to see our baby today, can you believe it?”

Lisa looked into blue eyes that twinkled with excitement. She reached up and caressed her love's face. “I can't wait baby. Do you want to know the sex of the baby?”

The blonde didn't know why she had asked the question. Her spouse loved surprises of any kind. At Christmas time she was truly a study in patience and self restraint.

She didn't want any hints, she didn't shake the packages and she didn't snoop. But, on Christmas eve the tall woman was like a little kid, she would toss and turn all night, and then be awake at the crack of dawn ready to open the presents.

She would run into the living room, sit in front of the tree, surround herself with presents and yell to Lisa she needed to hurry-up and come out, because Santa had come. The green-eyed woman couldn't wait until their children were old enough to enjoy their mother.

Blue eyes looked down into green. “Now Beth, you know better than that. What's the fun in knowing before its born. I bet there's nothing like the moment when the doctor pulls the baby out and says whether it's a boy or a girl.”

“I know, I just wanted to hear you say it.” Before Dani could say anything else, the nurse called them back.

Lisa was sitting on the exam table and Dani was sitting in a chair beside her, holding her hand. When the doctor entered, she greeted the women with a smile.

Dr. Westman was fairly tall at five foot nine, she had strawberry blonde hair that was more red than blonde, it was styled into a bob that curled under at her jaw line and her eyes were a silvery gray color.

She really liked the couple. There was something about them that made her happy inside, she actually looked forward to their visits.

“Well Ms and Mrs. Kendrick, are you ready to see your baby?”

The blonde responded. “How many times must we tell you to call us Dani and Lisa.”

The doctor blushed. She knew that the women were about twenty-nine years old, and her being only thirty-four made her feel like she was being too familiar with the them. But she would honor their request. “Okay, Lisa and Dani it is. Now lay back and let's get this show on the road.”

Dani was standing up holding her wife's hand and Lisa was laying back on the table with her shirt pulled up and her pants pulled down to rest under her stomach.

The doctor had covered her belly with gel and now she was circling the area with the small wand looking for the baby. After a few rotations the doctor stopped and rubbed her chin. “Well . . . that's interesting.”

The couple started to panic. The electrician spoke first. “What's interesting?!”

The doctor realized that she had spoken out loud and mentally kicked herself. “Oh, there's nothing wrong, at least I hope not.”

Lisa was getting annoyed. “Are trying to give us a heart attack?!”

“I'm sorry Lisa.” Then she looked-up at the dark woman. “Dani.”

She put down her instrument and then came back to stand beside the table. “Well ladies, I said that I hoped nothing was wrong, because I don't know how many children you two were planning on having.” She folded her hands together and smiled.

“It seems that you are going to be the proud parents of a set of twins.”

The two women were shocked. It had never entered their minds that they could have two babies at once. Lisa looked at Dani's dazed face and knew that she would have to ask the questions. “So two of the eggs that were implanted took hold?”

“Noooo, there's only one sack. It appears that the egg split and you ladies will be having identical twins.”

She paused after neither woman said anything more. “Would you like to know their sex?”

Dani picked that moment to wake-up. “No, no, no . . . we want to be surprised.”

The doctor laughed at the younger woman. “Haven't you been surprised enough today?”

The tall woman smiled brightly. “Nope.”

*******

The two women were standing in the guest room that they were in the process of turning into a nursery and they realized that there was going to be a problem. The tall woman draped her arm over her mate's slender shoulders.

“Beth, we aren't going to have enough room. I mean, they can stay in hear while they're little, but as they get older it's going to be too small.”

Lisa wrapped her arms around Dani's waist. “I see what you mean. I know we planned on four, but we thought that they would be one at a time. If we stick to our every two years timetable, we will out grow the house before the next one is born.”

Dani had an idea that she hoped her wife would agree with. “Well sweets, it seems like we need to go house shopping.”

Lisa started to pout. All she could think was, ‘this house was where it all began.' “Baby, I love this house, can't you come-up with another solution?”

“I don't think so Beth. The only thing that I could do is add on, and the lot isn't large enough to be able to add onto the house legally.”

She hugged the little blonde closer. “Let's call a realtor and set-up a time to go looking. I know this isn't what you want baby, but it's the best solution right now.”

Lisa saw the logic in what her spouse was saying so she agreed. “Okay, I know that you are right. It's just that this is where it all began. Is it possible to maintain ownership of this house and just rent it out.”

The electrician thought for a moment. “Ummm . . . I never thought about that. Owning rental property. That might be a business to look into.”

Dani gently lifted her wife off of the floor and kissed her softly. “I like the way that you think Beth.”

The teacher wrapped her arms around her spouses strong neck. “When should I set up an appointment with a real estate agent?”

“How about next Saturday?”

“You got it stud. Lisa leaned in and kissed her mate's lips again. You know . . . you don't have to treat me like a piece of glass, I wont break.”

She leaned in again and kissed Dani with a purpose. After she ended the contact, she grabbed the large hand and led her wife to their bedroom.

*******

They were both naked. Dani was laying on her back with her feet flat and her knees up with her hands holding the pregnant woman's hips, Lisa was sitting on top of her, straddling her stomach and using her raised knees as a back rest.

Lisa was leaning forward a little with her fair hair falling down one side of her face and holding on to Dani's sides, just under her ribs, using them as an anchor. The smaller woman was slowly sliding back and forth along the tight bands of her wife's well muscled stomach.

After Lisa found out that she was pregnant, their lovemaking became slow and gentle. Sometimes it was a challenge for them to fight the urge to go fast and hard, but they didn't want to take any chances with their little gift. Now that they knew Lisa was carrying twins, they really wanted to be careful.

When Lisa pulled Dani into the bedroom and pushed her down on the bed, the dark woman was a little frightened and asked if they should stop making love until after the babies were born. Lisa told her if she thought that she was going to go without for five months . . . she was insane.

So now, the teacher was gently gliding towards a climax. Painting her wife's stomach with her passion. Her strokes were long and deep and her rhythm steady. Dani could feel how wet her spouse was becoming and knew that it wouldn't be much longer.

The blonde's skin was glistening with sweat from her efforts and her moans were coming from deep in her chest. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly parted. The constant pressure on her sensitive bundle was euphoric.

Each time Lisa slid forward and pushed down, Dani could feel the pull in her own center. She was so turned on that warm liquid was starting to pool on the sheets beneath her.

It was as if they were connected at the core of their intimacy. She was ready to go over herself, just from the movements of the woman on top of her.

The electrician felt a rush of fluid spread across her stomach and she knew that her wife was ready. Lisa's thrusts became faster and she pressed into the strong body beneath her harder. When she threw her head back Dani knew that her orgasm had taken over.

The dark woman laid under her wife and watched the entire scene unfold above her, she was mesmerized. The smoothly muscled arms and shoulders of the smaller woman tensed, her mouth opened more and her full breast swayed just above the electrician's own.

The teacher's eyes were closed and she spoke through her climax. “Oh baby . . . Dani . . . Dani . . . ” She moaned. “Ooooh God . . . I love you so much.” Dani thought that Lisa in the middle of expending her passion was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen.

After the blonde came down, Dani was still moving under her. The dark woman was close, just a few more strokes from Lisa's backside rubbing against her engorged clit and she was going to send her over.

Hearing Lisa's voice was all it took. The blonde was still panting. “Come for me baby, I want to feel it.”

Dani squeezed her eyes tight and clamped down on her wife's hips and held her in place while she raised her own hips and rocked harder under her.

With her final thrust, she came. “Oh shit . . . Beeeth.” The tall woman stayed that way, suspended in the air, being held up by two powerful thighs, with the small blonde on top of her, until the tremors slowed and her movements stopped.

When Dani dropped back onto the bed and her breathing became regular again, the teacher looked down into the blue eyes that she loved. “I will never get tired of making love with you.”

She leaned forward as much as her stomach would allow until her spouse came up to meet her lips. “So don't try and find reasons to stop me.”

Dani ran her long fingers through damp blonde hair that hung down one side of Lisa's chest. “I'll never suggest it again baby.”

The blonde carefully rolled onto her side and pulled the large hand over to rest between her breast. The long body snuggled up behind her and soft lips kissed a smooth shoulder. As they drifted off Dani whispered, I love you Beth.

*******

Dani was pulling some fish-tape through a length of conduit. When the bundle of wires that were attached to the wire tape came out of the top, she used her hand to pull it the rest of the way through.

After she cut off the electrical tape that was keeping the bundle attached to the wire tape, she started separating the multi colored electrical wires, so that she could hook them up to their proper circuits.

While her back was turned Doug came up. He clasped her shoulder before he spoke loudly. “Hey buddy!”

Dani jumped. She hated it when someone came up behind her while her mind was into what she was doing. When she turned and saw Doug she was pissed. “You are such an ass. You know how much I hate that shit!”

Doug just crossed his arms over his large chest and smiled. “Why so tense . . . not gettin' any now that the wife is pregnant?”

Dani dropped her wire cutters into her tool belt. “I get plenty.” Then she changed the subject. “ If you haven't noticed, some of us are trying to get our work done.”

The red head looked at his watch. “It's almost break time, wanna go get some coffee?”

Dani checked her watch too. “Yeah, I could use the caffeine.”

******

Doug, Dani, George and Kim were sitting around on milk crates sipping on their hot coffee. Dani had been hanging out with Kim and George a lot more since they had came to the house merging party and then she and Lisa's wedding. She liked them a lot.

Doug sat his drink on the concrete floor between his feet and then pulled a moon pie out of his breast pocket. “You guys want to get together this weekend and shoot some hoops?”

Everyone thought it was good idea, except Dani. “Sorry big red, I can't make it.”

Doug swallowed the piece of cake that he just bitten off before he responded. “Why not, Lisa won't let you out.”

“You know that she isn't like that. It's just that we have made plans to go house hunting this weekend.”

“House hunting! You guys love that place why would you be looking for something else?”

Dani smiled from ear to ear. Her voice got more excited with each word. “Because we just found out that we are having twins!”

The small group was thrilled, everyone congratulated the dark woman on her good fortune.

“What are you going to do with your house?”

“Beth wants us to rent it out because she loves it so much and doesn't want to sell it.”

George stretched out his legs and worked the kinks out of his back. “Barry's dad rents out a lot of properties, it's a pretty good business to get into, if you can afford it.”

“Why don't you and Barry get into it?”

The stocky man looked around the circle. “Like I said . . . if you can afford it.”

Doug looked at his watch and stood-up. “Well guys, it's about that time. Let's get back to it.”

*******

JULY 21,1990

It was one o'clock in the afternoon and the women were looking at their fourth house of the day. As far as Lisa was concerned, there was something wrong with every house that they looked at.

They were standing in the living room of a very nice five bedroom home in Gaithersburg Maryland, it had a large fenced in backyard a nice in ground pool and was located in a cul-de-sac. The blonde woman stood and turned in circles. “I just don't have a feel for it, baby.”

Dani put her arm around her expanding waist. “That's alright, Beth, we aren't in a hurry.”

The real estate agent mentally rolled his eyes. When he first met the women, he thought that it was going to be an easy day.

He thought that he could show them a few places with pretty flowers outside and a large kitchen inside and they would fall all over themselves to buy it. Now he realized that it was going to take quite a bit of effort to get these women to commit to something.

“Well ladies I have another property in Rockville if you would like to ride out there.” Dani looked down at her wife and saw the fatigue in her eyes.

“No thanks we'll call it a day for now. We'll get in touch with you later to set something up.” They walked out to their cars and she extended her hand to the man. “Thank you for your time, and we'll be in touch soon.

*******

Lisa was stretched out on the couch and Dani was rubbing her feet. “Beth your feet are swollen. If we go out again, we wont be staying as long as we did today.”

The teacher raised her glass of decaffeinated iced tea to her lips and sipped out of the straw that Dani had put in it.

“I will not argue with you on that one baby, I am so tired.” Then she rubbed her belly. “I guess now we know why I looked like I was bigger than I should be.”

Dani leaned over and kissed her wife's belly, then she stood-up and rested Lisa's feet on the sofa. She left the room and went down the hallway.

When she finally returned she had two towels thrown over her shoulder, a tote bag hanging from the crook in her elbow and she was walking slowly while she carried the water filled foot massager.

When she reached the sofa, she put the tub with warm water in it to the side. She spread one of the towels out on the floor and then placed the foot massager on top of it. After that was done, she plugged it up, turned the dial to the heat, massage setting and stood.

The entire time that the ebony-haired woman was setting everything in place, the blonde looked on in silence. The way that her wife always seemed to think of her first, never ceased to amaze her. Her heart was about to burst with the love that she felt for her soul mate.

Dani reached down and pulled her spouse into a sitting position. Then she handed her the tote. “Beth, I want you to pick out the fragrance that you want to soak your feet in and the lotion that you want them rubbed with. ”

Lisa looked into the tote bag that was given to her and saw that Dani had put in a large variety of scents for her to choose from. She had even added a pair of thick socks for her to put on after.

The teacher handed her partner her choices. “You are too good to me, cariad.”

“Impossible. There is nothing too good for the woman I love and the mother of my children.”

And with that said, loving hands placed tired feet into warm bubbling water.

*******

AUGUST 18, 1990

The real estate agent was at the end of his rope, he was ready to lose his commission. The two women, especially the short one, was driving him crazy with their indecisiveness. Just as he was about to quit, the tall woman spoke.

“Look Jim, I don't think that we are going to be able to work this out. All the homes that you have showed us over the past five weeks have been really nice, but they just didn't sit right with us.”

Although the man was about to drop them as clients, the fact that they had made the first move to end their working with him, made him feel the need to convince them that he could come through for them.

“Give me just one more week, I know that I can put you in the home of your dreams.”

Lisa felt bad for all of the time she had taken from the man. “I'm sorry Jim, it's just that I have this image in my head of what I want our house to look like and I haven't seen it yet.”

The agent could feel the sale slipping through his fingers and wanted to make a save. Without thinking he blurted out. “Why don't you look into building the home that you envision?” And then quickly added. “Our company represents several landowners that want to sell lots.”

Green eyes glowed with excitement. The blonde turned and looked into the blue eyes that were looking down at her and saw that what she was thinking was reflected there.

Lisa turned back to Jim and was practically jumping up and down.( as much as her belly would allow) When she looked into Dani's eyes, she could have sworn that she heard her spouse say that it was a great idea. That's why she responded without talking to the electrician. “I think that's the direction that we should go in.”

Jim was thrilled, somehow he knew that this was how he was going to close the deal. “Okay, let's sit down and you let me know what type of property you would like to build on, you know location, accessibility to schools, etcetera.” At this point he was just as excited as the blonde woman.

Dani stepped in and brought everyone back to earth. “How about this, we'll go home, talk about what we want and what we do not want, think about price and payments for building a house and buying land and then we will get back to you.”

The agent was nervous about letting them go without some type of commitment, but he had learned to respect the fact that these women would not be pushed. “Sounds good, give me a call when you've gathered all of the information that you need.”

*******

Lisa was sitting on the bed with a note pad resting in her lap and Dani was propped up against the headboard. They had been talking about what they wanted for a few hours, and now they thought that maybe they had it all figured out.

Lisa looked over the sheet of paper one last time. “Okay, we have decided that we want to be near schools, shopping and entertainment. We don't want to be cramped between a lot of neighbors, we want to be near water, a park, trails for hiking and plenty of trees.”

“Yep, that sounds about right.” The long body stretched out and slid further down into the bed. “I guess it's time for me to give Pauly a call.”

Lisa put her tablet and pen to the side and copied Dani by sliding down into the bed. “Who is Pauly?”

Dani turned on her side and propped up her head. “My broker.”

Green eyes opened in shock. “Your broker?”

Dani reached behind her and pulled a bottle of lotion off of her night stand. “Come on Beth, you remember that first night I drove out to Bowie. I told you then that I had made a few investments.”

Lisa knew what her partner was going to do. It was something that she had been doing every night since she started to show, so she laid on her back and raised her shirt. “Oh yeah, I guess I forgot. How often do you hear from him?”

The tall woman squeezed the lotion into her large hands and rubbed them together to warm it before she started to spread it on her wife's stomach.

“Not often, years ago I gave him a lot of money and told him to invest it. I picked one stock and he picked the rest. I told him that I didn't want to hear from him unless the bottom fell out. Since I haven't heard anything . . . I guess the bottom is still intact.”

The blonde hummed from the feeling she was getting from the massage. Dani not wanting to hear from the broker didn't surprise Lisa, it fit that part of her personality that loved surprises. “When are you going to call him?”

“First thing Monday morning. I don't think we have enough money in the bank to build a house and buy land.”

“Baby, I know you aren't thinking about trying to pay for everything in full.”

“Beth, you know how much I hate being in debt.”

“I know sweetheart, but you are going to clean out the bank account if you try to pay cash for everything.”

“What I'm thinking about, is to pay for either the house or the land straight out, and finance the other, or put a large sum of money down on both so that the payments will be low.”

After Lisa's stomach was thoroughly lubricated, the dark woman pulled the shirt back down and gently patted it.

The blonde snuggled up to the taller frame and dropped her arm across the muscular stomach. “I like the way you think baby. Being with you, I know that I don't have to worry about becoming homeless.”

*******

AUGUST 22, 1990

Dani was in the middle of bending a piece of conduit, when her pager went off. When they found out that Lisa was pregnant she went out and purchased one so that Lisa could get in touch with her when ever she needed to.

She looked down at the small screen and saw their home number on the display. She stopped what she was doing and went outside to find a payphone, she put in her twenty-five cents and dialed home.

The phone had barley rung when Lisa picked it up. “Hello.”

Dani spoke in her best Lurch imitation. “Yooou rang.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “You are so goofy. Is Dennison & Reynolds the name of the brokerage firm that you use?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Well, I just had to sign for a letter from them.”

“Wow, that was fast. Monday morning before I went to work, I left a message on Paul's office machine telling him to send me info on the investments. I'm assuming that's what you have. Go ahead and open it.”

“Are you sure baby, this is something that you did long before you met me.”

Dani exhaled. “You're kidding, right?”

Lisa smiled on the other end. “Yeah, I am.”

The teacher opened the envelope and then there was silence on the other end of the phone while she read the contents. Dani heard a sharp intake of air and then Lisa's voice.

The blonde spoke very softly in a barely controlled voice. “Baby, you need to come home.”

Dani was alarmed. “Beth, are you okay, are you in pain?”

Taking in calming breaths she answered, “No sweetheart, I'm fine. I just need you to come home . . . now.”

Dani closed her eyes and extended her senses to her partner. She didn't pick-up any fear, just some anxiety. She opened her eyes and spoke to her wife. “I'll pack-up and be there in about fifty minutes.”

Lisa told her that she would see her when she got home. Then she hung up the phone with a severely shaking hand. “Oh my God . . . I don't know how is she going to take this news.”

She walked over to the large sofa and sat down. “Boy . . . I wish I could have a drink . . . a really, really stiff drink.”

*******

Dani pulled her service van into their driveway, parked and ran to the front door. When she entered she saw her wife sitting on the sofa staring at the cold fireplace. She went to her, got down on her knees in front of her and took her hands into her own.

Lisa finally focused her eyes on the blue that was looking at her. “I'm sorry baby, I'm just in shock.”

“Why . . . what's going on, why did I need to leave work sweetheart?”

Lisa reached beside her and picked-up the letter that Paul had sent to Dani through registered mail. “Here, you really need to read this.”

Dani took the letter from Lisa and started reading, when she reached the second page she dropped the papers and watched them slowly drop to the floor. Then she raised up enough to sit beside her spouse on the couch.

When Lisa felt Dani's arms lay across her shoulders she looked at her. “Now do you see why I wanted you to come home, there was no way in the world I was going to tell you that and have you drive home.”

The electrician nodded her head yes. “Did I just read that the thousands of dollars that I invested are now worth millions?”

All Lisa could do was nod her head up and down. “Baby, how many of those stocks did you say you picked?”

“Just one. I guess Pauly followed suit when he picked some of the other stocks.”

Lisa looked deeply into her wife's eyes and pulled her large hands into her lap. “Which stock did you pick baby?”

Dani thought for a second and then exhaled. “Well on morning before I left for work, I was sitting at the small kitchen table in my apartment reading the paper, that's one of the best things about the Post, it comes early.

I was drinking a cup of coffee and listening to one of those oldie stations on the radio. Something told me to turn to the stock page, why I don't know. I knew nothing about it and had no interest in it.

I was scanning the columns when the song on the radio changed. Otis Redding started to sing ‘Try a little tenderness'. Then a strange feeling came across me.

When I looked down the next column Otis was singing the chorus, you know that part, ‘ya gotta try a little tenderness' at that exact moment my eyes fell on the name of a company that had just went on the market, it was called Microsoft.

I grabbed the yellow pages and looked for a stockbroker. The stock only cost something like twenty bucks a share, so I figured I'd go for it.

It was nineteen eighty-six and I had been putting money in the bank since nineteen seventy-nine, so I had a pretty good amount saved.

I found a name wrote down the number and went to work., when break time came around I called, they put me through to Paul Morgan and the rest is history.”

Lisa got up on her knees, brushed back dark bangs and kissed her partner's forehead. “I can't believe this is happening. I guess we don't have to worry about paying for a place to live now, huh?”

Dani pulled her spouse onto her lap, and kissed the top of her fair head. “No doubt about that, baby. No doubt about that.”

*******

SEPTEMBER 14, 1990

Dani was leaning into her service van, pulling out the lasagna and French bread that she had pick-up from their favorite Italian restaurant.

When she entered the kitchen from the laundry room she yelled to her wife. “I'm home sweet cheeks!”

She turned beet red when she heard her mother-in-law respond. “That's good to know blue eyes.”

Dani bent down to look through the small doors that were opened across the kitchen counter. “Hey, Alice. I didn't you were here.” The electrician rounded the corner to enter the living room and greet her guest.

Alice stood to hug the tall woman and ignored the initial tensing of the long body she always received when she made physical contact with the tall woman. She knew that Dani wasn't the touchy feely type with anyone except her daughter.

She was pleased that as quickly as the tension surfaced in the woman's body, it left, it was like she had to always remind herself that it was okay to accept the hug.

Alice had decided after hearing about Dani's treatment by her own mother and the verbal attack a week before the wedding last year by her sister, that she would be as much of a mother to the beautiful woman as she was allowed to be.

The thought surprised her. She couldn't believe how much her opinion of her daughter's relationship had changed.

Alice felt like Dani was one of her own children. After spending a lot of quality time with the mysterious woman she discovered that the she was funny, intelligent, hard working and dedicated to her daughter beyond all reason.

Alice knew that if anyone or anything ever threatened her youngest child, that the threat would be taken care of, and she truly pitied the person that the threat came from.

**

She would never forget the day that Dani had taken them to the mall and a few guys pushed their way past a newly pregnant Lisa, nearly knocking her over without excusing themselves.

The tall woman grabbed the worst offender by the shoulder and turned him back around. “I think you owe this lady an apology for practically knocking her over.”

Lisa saw the danger in the blue eyes and tugged on her wife's free hand and told her that it was okay. “No it's not Beth, he could have hurt you and the baby.”

The young man wasn't about to be bullied in front of his friends by a woman . . . he didn't care how tall she was.

“Fuck you and her!” He then tried to pull away from the woman. That's when he felt the strength in the large hand that held him in place. He looked up into blue eyes that had gone pale in anger and knew that he had made a mistake.

Dani started to squeeze the young man's shoulder where she held it. Her thumb was just above his collarbone and her fingers were on his shoulder blade.

When the strong fingers started to press into the flesh, the man's knees started to buckle, it felt like the woman's fingers and thumb were trying to meet by totally ignoring the fact that skin, tissue and bone separated them.

The tall woman's eyes bore into him, then she spoke through clenched teeth. “Apologize to my wife, or I'll rip your arm off.” The man's friends came up behind him to hold him up. “Look lady, he's sorry, let him go.”

The electrician trained her gaze on them one by one and they all stepped back a little. “I didn't hear him say it.”

The man was whimpering. “I . . . I . . . I'm sssorry that I almost knocked your wife over and cursed at her.” Dani released him and his hand immediately started massaging his aching shoulder.

She gave him a feral smile. “Now was that so hard?”

**

Nope, Alice didn't worry about Lisa. And now with her daughter being pregnant, her maternal feelings towards Dani were increasing.

When she stepped back from hugging the tall woman, Lisa tried to rock herself off of the couch to greet her spouse. “Beth, stay there, I'll come to you.” Dani stood in front of the blonde and then leaned down to kiss her.

Alice was still getting used to this aspect of the women's relationship, but she was doing better. She was finally starting to understand that love was love and that it wasn't meant exclusively for a man and a woman.

She witnessed first hand that people of the same sex could be committed to, and love each other as deeply as any heterosexual couple could.

The older woman was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard the tall woman's deep voice call her name. “I'm sorry dear, what did you say?”

Dani blushed a little from the endearment. “I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with us, I stopped and picked-up some lasagna.”

Alice smiled when she saw the sincerity in the piercing blue eyes. “No thanks, Manny will be back any minute, he dropped me off while he went to pep boys to find a part for the car.”

Later, when Herman returned to pick-up his wife, they did end up staying after all and sharing a delicious Italian meal.

*******

SEPTEMBER 22,1990

The women were standing in a clearing just outside of Grasonville, Maryland an area located between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

The land was surrounded by trees and the back of the property dropped down to a lake.

Dani draped her arm over her wife's shoulders. “Well, Beth, what do think?”

Lisa reached up and squeezed the hand that hung over her shoulder. “I like what I see.”

The tall woman turned to the agent. “How much land did you say this was?”

The agent flipped through his paperwork until he found what he was looking for. “It's five acres.”

“How close is the nearest neighbor?”

Again the agent referred to his paperwork. “Well, it seems that the nearest neighbors would be approximately ten miles away.”

A dark brow was raised in question, so Jim hurried to explain.

“According to our files, there are ten square miles of land for sale, one family has owned it for over one hundred years and between the taxes on this much land and the cost to clear off and level the property for building, they feel like it's a huge headache and want to get rid of it all."

They have no idea what to do with it, so they want to sell it. You would be the first to purchase property here.”

An idea came to Dani's mind. She looked down into the green eyes that were already looking at her. The women communicated without speaking.

Lisa's eyes started to shine with excitement. Dani returned her attention to Jim. “Can you find a way for us to view the entire ten square miles.”

Jim's eyes bugged out. “You mean like from the air?”

Dani smiled, showing even white teeth. “That's exactly what I mean.”

The agent started to sweat. “Let me call my boss and see what I can set-up.”

*******

Three hours later, a helicopter was landing in the clearing were the small group waited. Dani wrapped her long arm around her wife's waist and led her to the waiting transportation.

While high above the large land mass, Jim pointed out the boarders of the property that was for sale. Both women noticed that there were a couple of ponds and a few creeks scattered through out. Most of the land was wooded and they saw that the lot they were looking at was on a hill.

Dani stared down at the land that they were traveling over and her eyes glazed over. Through their connection, Lisa felt her spouse disconnect from the present, so she closed her eyes to try and tap into the other woman's thoughts.

Looking through unfocused eyes, the electrician slowly started to envision homes positioned throughout the wooded area. Then it became a community. Families living in nice affordable homes, with mom and pop stores, and playgrounds dotted through out.

Lisa took the journey with her mate, seeing everything that the other woman planned. Dani could feel her spouses presence and welcomed it.

They knew that something had happened to them on their honeymoon, so they just took each new discovery in stride. Intuitively, they knew that they were growing.

Jim watched the two women, he didn't say anything, because he had no idea what was happening. It looked like the dark woman was in a trance and the blonde woman was in a coma. Just as he was about to make some kind of gesture to get the women's attention, they returned.

He continued to look on when the tall woman looked at her smaller partner and asked. “What do you think Beth?”

He couldn't hide the shock when the blonde replied as if they had been having a conversation. “I think that is an incredible idea.”

The tall woman focused her attention on the agent. “Jim, how much are they selling this land for?”

The agent cleared his throat. “Do you mean the entire ten square miles?”

Dani nodded her head.. Again, the man referred to his notebook. “Like I said, it's all owned one family.”

He finally stopped turning pages. “It looks like they are willing to sell all of it for . . . ”

He braced himself before he finished speaking. “Eight million dollars.”

The electrician thought for a moment, then looked at her partner. The blonde head nodded yes.

“Well, Jim my man . . . we'll take it all.” The agent nearly swallowed his tongue. And then started to write down all that he would have to do when he returned to his office. Mentally he was already calculating his commission.

The women leaned towards each other and shared a gentle kiss. They would always remember this as being the day that Kendrick Homes was born.

*******

When the women arrived home they were exhausted. Dani undressed both herself and her mate and then dressed them both in boxers and a t-shirt before she put her very pregnant partner to bed.

She left the room and headed for the kitchen where she fixed them a couple of sandwiches and grabbed a bag of chips and two cans of A&W.

When she entered their bedroom, Lisa's smile brightened her beautiful face. “I can't thank you enough baby. I am starving.”

Dani smiled crookedly. “I know . . . I can feel it.”

The comment reminded the blonde of their shared vision while riding in the helicopter. “Sweetheart, I think we have a new dynamic between us.”

Dani took a bite of her sandwich. “No shit . . . I could feel you in there.” She looked into the eyes that she adored. “It was . . . warm . . . and safe.”

The blonde wiggled her bare toes. “Yeah.” She turned and gave her wife a rakish grin.” It felt fantastic being inside of you”

The dark woman leaned over and kissed her mate sweetly. “You are such a perv.”

*******

While the women were inside, winding down from their day, they had no idea that a slightly unbalanced woman was sitting in a car, parked down the street from their home, beating her anger out on the steering wheel, vowing to have the dark woman for herself.

*******

OCTOBER 2, 1990

It was Shirley's birthday and Lisa and Dani were on their way to meet everyone at the restaurant to celebrate. “Baby, should we tell everyone about the money?”

The electrician looked at the blonde woman sitting beside her. “I don't know Beth, I realize that everyone will eventually have to know, I just don't know how to tell them. It just feels so strange.”

“I know what you mean. It really hit me when you added my name to your stock portfolio. To be able to buy and sell those stocks just kinda brought home the truth.” She turned and looked at her wife. “We're rich.”

A slow smile started to spread across the dark woman's face. She looked at her spouse, and when their eyes locked, they started laughing uncontrollably.

*******

Everyone was laughing at Shirley because she had to sit and smile while the staff sang a fast overly chipper birthday song to her . . . she was not amused.

“Laugh it up people, but remember, I know when all of you were born.”

Then she turned to look at Kat. “And as for you, how do the words ‘get none' sound?”

The architect crossed her arms over her chest, and then finished her statement. “So keep on . . . laugh it up brown eyes.”

Trying to prove her point, she put her hand to mouth and started to cough.

The architect looked at her lover and shook her head. “Because that was so lame, I'm goona give you a break.”

Kat's brown eye's lit-up with joy. “Now, that's my birthday girl.”

A thought came to Lisa's mind, then she spoke to her best friend. “Shirley, you don't have to exclude Freda from our get togethers because of me, I'm a big girl, I can handle her in small doses”

The pregnant woman held up one hand and looked at her tall partner. “Dani, if you make one joke about me being big, you will also know the meaning of ‘get none'.”

Dani snapped her mouth shut before the smart remark could leave on its own. Kat looked at the electrician and then looked at the teacher's very big stomach. “You still get some?”

Dani smiled from ear to ear and pulled her pregnant spouse closer. “I have a very creative wife.” Then she kissed the soft blonde hair on the side of her love's head.

Kat leaned over to whisper in the electrician's ear. “Is it one sided? You know, all for her?”

Lisa heard the gym instructor's question and turned her green gaze on her. “No it's not! And no more questions.” Then she turned her attention back to Shirley.

Kat leaned back in her seat next to her lover and looked at the couple with a new found respect.

Seriously curly, Freda's presence won't bother me. Shirley smiled at her friend. “Lisa, you are my best friend and I will not do anything to get you upset, especially now that you are very pregnant with twins. If I want to see Freda, I can do that without risking upsetting you.”

She then looked at Cynthia. “Last year we told Freda that if she tried to make trouble between you and Dani, that we were going to drop her.”

The curly-haired woman exhaled. “We still hang out sometimes, but not like we used to.”

Shirley looked into Lisa's green eyes. “Sometimes I just feel bad for her. She had one of the hardest childhoods that I've ever heard about.”

In all of the years that they had spent hanging out, no one had ever told Lisa Freda's story. Shirley looked at Cynthia for conformation. The writer nodded once.

The architect told her friend a story that had the blonde wiping her eyes before it was over. When Shirley told them how Freda's father used to sell her an older sister and a younger brother to his drunk friends for bill money, she held up her hand and told her friend that she couldn't hear anymore.

“I know that this doesn't excuse her behavior, but in a strange way that abuse started her on the road to becoming a photo journalist. The sick bastard would feel guilty on occasion and give the kids some of the money, Freda saved hers until she had enough to buy her first camera.

She said that she had always been fascinated by people in pictures, their lives seemed so wonderful to her. That's why I try to let some of the things that she does, roll off of my back because I know she has to deal with demons sometimes.”

Lisa‘s head was resting on Dani's shoulder. “I had no idea that things were so horrible for her. I guess I can make more of an effort to look pass her antics.”

Shirley shook her curls back and forth. “Don't do that Lisa, you can't let her terrible upbringing give her permission to continue her bad behavior. I only told you, so that maybe, you could make some sense of her obsessive actions. You are living the life that she saw in those pictures when she was growing-up and she wants to have it”

While Lisa continued talking to Shirley, Dani got Cynthia's attention. “Hey, Lois Lane, I was wondering if you were free around ten a.m. on Thursday. Beth has a doctor's appointment and I can't make it.”

The writer smile as she shook the taller woman's hand. “Well in that case, you have to call me Cynthia.”

They smiled at one another. “You have a deal.” Elaine's gray eyes lingered on Cynthia for a second longer than they should have before she turned her attention to her patient.

“Alright Lisa how about you tell me how you've been feeling?”

Lisa saw the mutual interest that her doctor and friend had showed in each other and wanted to do a little fishing. “Dr. Westman, did I tell you that Cynthia writes for the entertainment section of the Post?”

The strawberry blonde doctor focused her attention on the brunette again. “You're that Cynthia McIntyre? I read your stuff all the time. Some of the best jazz I've every heard is because you recommended it. Wow . . . it is truly an honor to be able to thank you in person.”

Cynthia was shocked, she had never met anyone that not only read her articles, but followed her advice. This was . . . enlightening. “I'm happy that I could help.”

Lisa wasn't going to let this go. “So Dr. Westman, you like jazz?”

“Oh yeah, I love it, the last time that Chick Corea was in town, I had front row seats.”

“Ummm, Cynthia, aren't you going to check out a local group this weekend?”

Cynthia could have kissed her friend, Lisa obviously saw that she was interested in the gray-eyed doctor.

“Yes, the group is called Tim Eyermann and East coast offering, they're going to be playing at a club in Old Town Alexandria Saturday.” The writer decided she wasn't going to waste her friends efforts.

“Elaine, would you like to check the group out with me? Another set of ears and a different perspective is always good.”

The doctor didn't hesitate. “Absolutely, I love hearing new groups. We can exchange our information after I finish examining Lisa.”

The doctor's excitement was filling the room. “Okay Mrs. Kendrick, let's get this show on the road!”

*******

“Baby, I couldn't believe my eyes, all through the exam, Cynthia and Elaine were checking each other out when the other wasn't looking. Man, I hope this becomes a love connection. Cynthia has been alone way too long.”

The tall woman was sitting across from her wife at the kitchen table eating a slice of pizza. “Ahhh . . . My very own personal Dolly Levi.”

The electrician wiggled her dark brows. “Because I am no longer a mystery to you.”

Lisa ran her fingers up her partner's powerful arm and smiled. “Oh, believe me goofy, you are still very wondrous to me.”

Dani batted her eyes and started fanning her face with her large hand, then she raised her voice a few octaves before speaking with an exaggerated southern twang. “Why I do declare, you little sweet talker you, I believe I feel a bout of the vapors coming on.”

Lisa's mouth dropped and her eyes went wide. “Baby, don't ever do that again.”

Then she shivered a little. “That was just . . . disturbing.”

*******

OCTOBER 25,1990

Lisa, Dani and Kat sat at Shirley's kitchen table waiting for their hostess to return with their drinks. Cynthia wasn't there because she had plans that she couldn't break.

Dani was leaning out of her chair attacking Simon's belly while he laid on his back growling. She would occasionally let him nip one of her long fingers to make him feel like he stood a chance.

When Shirley returned with the refreshments Dani got up to go and wash her hands. She was sitting back down just as Lisa was putting a hot cup of coffee in front of her.

Shirley sat beside her lover and looked across the table at her friends. “Okay ladies, why have you called this meeting?” She asked with a smile.

Both women fidgeted nervously before Dani finally spoke. “Beth and I have purchased some land near Annapolis. Before she could go on, the other woman interrupted her.

“You what! When did this happen?”

Lisa took over. “We started the process about a month ago. The papers are finally being finalized, and we were wondering if . . . ”

“Since when does it take a month to buy a lot?”

Kat patted her lover's hand. “Babe, let them finish.”

Dani started again. “It's a little more than a lot. What we want to know is if you would work with us on the design of the house that we want to build on it . . . for a price of course.”

“First of all, I would never charge you for that, and second, how much land are we talking about?”

Dani looked at her spouse. “She's not gonna let it go Beth.”

The pregnant woman dropped her head for a second and then looked into her friend's hazel eyes. “We purchased sixty four hundred acres.” After she said it, she waited for her friend to do the calculations.

Hazel eyes went wide and then the woman looked at her lover, who was just as shocked. “That's more than nine square miles! Why would you need so much land?”

Dani started telling the women about their plan to sell the land off in parcels, and then offer to build the house that the buyer wanted.. When she finished Lisa added that they would eventually like to hire Shirley to design the homes.

The architect looked at her friends like they were strangers. “Do you have any idea how much it will cost for tree removal, running water and electric lines, paving the streets . . . hell . . . building the houses are going to cost a fortune by themselves!”

Dani told the woman about their plan to start off with wells and septic tanks and then change over to county water. The electricity would have to be run, there was no getting around that. But she explained how she wanted all of the homes to have an abundance of solar panels.

“Solar panels! Are you serious?” Shirley couldn't believe her ears.

The electrician smiled and nodded her head. “Yep, the sun is a great source of energy. Electricity is only going to become more and more expensive, this will give the new homes an additional selling point.

If we put out the money to build homes equipped with the panels now . . . I think that they will be in high demand in the future. When we sell the lot, if the owners want us to build, their bank loan will pay for the property and the home .”

The tall woman smiled brightly. “As soon as the loan goes through, we'll make our money back plus a profit.”

Shirley still had questions. “How is all of this land being financed until then? Because that's a lot of money for a bank to loan out.”

Lisa squeezed her wife's hand. “Well since the land is paid for, every house we build will be profit . . . ” Lisa went on to tell her best friend about there good fortune.

An hour later, the architect was sitting at the table staring at nothing. Kat rubbed the shorter woman's back trying to keep her grounded. “Are you okay, babe?”

Shirley turned her curly head to look at her lover. “Microsoft, Kat . . . she invested in Microsoft as soon as it went on the market. I . . . I . . . I can't believe it.” She looked at the couple. “The two of you must have been born under a star.”

*******

OCTOBER 31, 1990

After Dani got off of work she went to the grocery store and purchased a case of A&W root beer, a box of Jolly Time popcorn and a package of Lemon Heads and Red Hots.

When she got home she kissed the teacher and then set everything out on the kitchen counter before she went into the bedroom to shower and change.

Lisa stood at the stove and watched the whole thing, wondering what her spouse was up to.

Fifteen minutes later, the electrician returned to the kitchen dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt. The blonde watched her as she took out her favorite popcorn bowl from the cabinet and place it on the counter, then she walked over to the refrigerator to put a glass mug into the freezer.

When Dani removed a few sodas from the cardboard box that they came in and headed for the refrigerator Lisa couldn't stay quiet any longer. “Okay, baby, I can't take it, what's going on?”

The tall woman turned from the refrigerator and looked at her wife like she was crazy. “Beth, it's Halloween.”

The blonde raised a fair brow. “And?”

“And?!” The electrician left the kitchen and returned with the T.V. Guide. She put it down on the table in front of Lisa and reached over the blonde's shoulder as a long finger pointed out the schedule.

“First, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, then . . . House of Usher, Village of the Damned, Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein and to top it all off . . . Plan Nine from Outer Space!”

The teacher went pale. “Oh my God . . . I forgot . . . the Halloween monster movie marathon. The blonde woman started thinking, trying to find a way to stop her spouse from having bad horror movies on television all night.

“Baby, that's got to be ten hours of movies. It's going to take all night.”

Dani looked at her watch and saw that it was ten after three. “It starts in fifty minutes. It should be over by two a.m.”

The blonde started grasping at straws. “That doesn't give you a lot of time to sleep. You will be dragging at work tomorrow.”

The tall woman would not be deterred. “That's a small price to pay, baby, don't you understand . . . Plan Nine from Outer Space is coming on, they're putting it on last, because it's the best!”

The pregnant woman lowered her head. “That's strange, I could swear that I heard that it's the worse movie ever made.”

Blue eyes went wide in disbelief. “Lies, Beth, all lies. That movie is amazing.”

Lisa mumbled under her breath. “Yeah . . . amazingly bad.”

Dani leaned down and kissed the top of her wife's head before she left the room. “I heard that.”

*******

Lisa was sitting on the bed and leaning against the headboard with the phone resting on top of her huge belly. She had decided that she was going to leave Dani in the living room watching her horrible horror movies and come in the back to talk on the phone.

She dialed a number and waited for it to be answered. Finally someone picked-up.

“Hello”

“Hey, Cynthia, how ya doing?”

There was a slight hesitation on the other end. “Ummmm . . . I'm doing good, how about you?”

The blonde answered slowly, sensing that something was going on. “I'm just fine . . . is this a bad time? You sound a little . . . distracted.”

“No, everything is okay.”

Lisa could swear that she heard her friend shush someone. “Are you alone?”

Cynthia giggled nervously. “Well, no.”

Lisa's interest was peaked, so she took a chance. “The good doctor wouldn't be there now . . . would she?”

The writer was silent and then Lisa heard whispering in the back ground, then Cynthia spoke to here again. “Yes, Elaine is here. We were . . . ummm . . . handing out candy and watching television.”

The teacher stifled a laugh. “Okay, then I'll let you get back to your company. I'll talk to you later, bye.”

Cynthia said goodbye and disconnected her end.

Lisa got up and started waddling down the hallway as fast as she could. “Baby, you'll never guess what I just found out!”

*******

After midnight, Dani decided to finish watching the monster movie marathon in the bedroom. When she entered the large room, she settled on the bed with her popcorn, candy and A&W.

Lisa was already stretched out on the bed reading a book on early childhood development. “Oh no . . . are you going to watch those movies back here?”

Instead of answering the teacher, the electrician leaned over and kissed her wife deeply. She moaned deep in throat and had to fight down the strong feelings that always rose-up in her when Lisa was near.

The blonde pulled back from the contact and looked into the blue eyes that she loved. “Baby, I love you so much, sometimes it's hard for me to believe that you still find me attractive as huge as I am.”

Dani caressed the soft cheek of her spouse. “Beth, you're having my baby, what kind of an ass doesn't find the mother of their children desirable?”

The tall woman leaned down and kissed her wife's stomach. Then she started talking to the babies. “Hey there little ones, we can't wait to see you. Your mam and I are going to build a house where you and your brothers and sisters can run free and go on adventures.”

Lisa rubbed her mates dark head while it laid on her belly. She could feel the babies move around like they always did when Dani spoke to them.

It was a ritual for the electrician, she never went to sleep without talking to the babies, or singing them a song. They would get really active when both women sang together.

After the dark woman finished talking to their children, she captured he wife's sweet lips again. “Don't think that just because I stopped to talk to our babies that I've forgotten about my movies.”

The teacher felt so good about the compliment and watching her partner talk to the babies, that she didn't care if she had to lay there and watch Plan Nine . . . she was in heaven.

*******

The off balanced woman stood in her spare room looking at a wall covered with pictures of the tall beauty and the blonde user.

She paced back and forth stopping to occasionally slam her fist into her open palm as she stared at the pictures of the women during different periods of their relationship.

For some reason she especially hated a photograph of the couple leaning against a tree in the park, the peaceful look on the blonde's face as she leaned against the taller woman's muscled chest made the woman want to puke.

She had snapped that one in March when the couple had an oddly timed picnic. “If she thinks that having a baby is going to stop me from getting Dani, then she is sadly mistaken.”

*******

NOVEMBER 26, 1990

It was getting harder and harder for the blonde teacher to move around and Dani hated leaving her every morning. The couple decided that after Dani finished this last job, she would concentrate on starting the home building business and Lisa would get the school started.

The two women met with Shirley at least once a week to add or make changes to the house that they were going to build.

They decided to break ground in April when the weather was warmer. The house was going to have six bedrooms, seven full bathrooms and two half baths. There was going to be a game room in the basement and two offices on the main floor. There would be two family rooms, one downstairs and one upstairs. That way, if the kids wanted to hang out closer to their rooms, they could.

Lisa wanted a small kitchenette off of the upstairs family room, so that they could pop corn or warm-up snacks when they gathered there.

The backyard would have an in ground pool near where the property sloped down to the lake, and there was going to be a dock and a boat house built so that Dani could store the boat that she was finally going buy.

They agreed that they wanted to build a guest house, for Casnar and Heulyn if they ever decided that they wanted to give up housekeeping and move in with the girls.

They also decided to build a separate office for the home building business near the front of the ten mile boarder. Lisa wanted to build the prep school in a location that would be central to the community that they were planning.

*******

The teacher was telling her mother about their plans when the doorbell rang. Lisa started rolling from side to side trying to catch the momentum to rise, so that she could answer the door.

Alice watched for a few seconds before she told her daughter to stay still. “I'll get it, you look like a turtle that's trying to right itself.”

“Gee, I love you too mom.”

Alice was still laughing when she opened the door and saw a woman that she had never met, but knew without a doubt who she was.

Marilyn Green stood on her daughter's door step, looking at the blonde woman that opened the door, and knew that it had to be that woman's mother, she could easily see the resemblance.

Without a greeting of any kind, Alice stepped back and invited the woman into her daughter's home with a sweeping motion of her arm.

Marilyn walked past the other woman and headed towards the living room. By the time Marilyn reached the couch, Lisa had made it up to a standing position and found herself looking into hard, unforgiving eyes.

She didn't feel intimidated in the least and spoke to her mother-in-law first. “How are you Marilyn, what brings you to these parts?”

The prudish woman looked at the pregnant teacher with revulsion. “Well, I see that the rumors are true. You are going to bring an innocent child into this abomination.”

Lisa was taken aback by the woman's rude words. Before she had spoken a greeting of any kind, she was insulting the homeowner. She didn't like this woman and knew that she never would, so she didn't feel it necessary to sensor her words.

“You know Marilyn, you really have a nerve coming her uninvited after more than a year. And then you immediately start to hurl insults.”

“I can come to my daughter's home any time that I choose, and say anything that I want to an interloper.”

Alice was finally shaking herself from the shock of hearing her own hurtful words come from the arrogant woman's lips.

“My daughter is no interloper, this is her home as much as it is her wife's.” ‘Did I just refer to Dani as Lisa's wife?'

Marilyn snorted and looked down her nose at Alice. “So . . . I take it that you condone this filthy lifestyle?”

Again, Alice had to get past looking at her previous self in the mirror. ‘Was I really that cold to my child?' She looked at her daughter and wanted to beg her for forgiveness. Instead, she responded to the hydra. (she decided that was going to be the woman's name)

“There is nothing to condone. Lisa and Dani are two adults, they can live any way that they choose.”

Lisa saw that this was going to be a nasty confrontation so she concentrated and sent out a plea to her wife. She repeated the same thought over and over. “Baby, please come home now, your mother is here.”

*******

Dani was unloading a delivery of supplies that had arrived at the job site, when she felt her partner's presence. It felt like the space behind her forehead opened up to a warmth that could only be her mate.

She put down the box that she was carrying and concentrated. It was like trying to find a station on a radio with a lot of static, the sound went in and out, all she could decipher was. “Your . . . mother . . . here.”

Blue eyes opened wide and large palms became sweaty. The tall woman ran to her foreman and told him that she had to leave.

The short gray-haired man exhaled and started shaking his head. “Dani. I know that you are expecting a baby, but you can't keep leaving the site when ever the feeling hits you. We all have a job to do and if you leave . . . I can't guarantee that you will be able to come back.”

The electrician didn't have time to reason with the man, so she patted him on the shoulder and told him that she understood and for him to do whatever he felt like he needed to.

She jumped into her service van and headed home. She was relived that the job was in Hyattsville, so it would only take her fifteen or twenty minutes to get there.

*******

When the tall woman came barreling through the front door, the first thing she heard was Alice's raised voice.

“Who do you think you are to come barging in here insulting my daughter!”

Blue locked with green and Dani went to her wife's side. She wrapped her arms around her smaller mate and pulled her close.

“Are you okay baby?” As she rubbed the pregnant woman's arm she said. “Pryd did hi cyrraedd?” (how long has she been here)

The blonde looked-up into blue fire. “Yeah, I'm okay, mom is taking most of the heat, and I would say about hanner awr.” (half hour)

Marilyn turned away from Alice, pretty much dismissing her and tore into the new arrival. “ So . . . you've taught your concubine to speak that peasant language too. And as for that poor baby, isn't it enough that you have been an embarrassment your entire life, do you need to ruin the life of an innocent child too?”

It was odd, Dani thought that her mother's words would cause her pain . . . but they didn't, she looked at Alice and somehow she knew that this woman that had made such a huge effort to over come her initial disdain for this relationship was the reason.

Her only instinct was to stop what ever the source was that might harm her wife. “Your opinion of my wife, my life, or our child means less than two shits to me . . . you know . . . you have a hell of a nerve coming here. You have never showed me an ounce of consideration and now you are concerned for our child?” The beautiful face contorted in disgust. Go sell it to someone else, cause I'm not buying it.”

The shorter woman's face bloomed red with anger, her perfectly painted lips started to tremble and then she raised an elegantly manicured hand, ready to strike. “Why you little ingrate, I guess you learned to talk like that from the gutter-trash that sired you, how dare you speak to me that way.” She drew back her hand and took aim.

Before Marilyn could make contact with the tall woman's face in front of her, her slender wrist was grasped in a strong grip. The older woman turned her head and was caught in the heat of green molten fury. “If you lay one hand on her Marilyn, I'll break every bone in this finely jeweled wrist.”

Marilyn had to back-up a step to get away from the menace that came rolling off of the pregnant woman. She wrestled her arm out of the blonde's grip and snarled at her. “Why am I not surprised, my daughter told me about her barbaric treatment by you the last time that she visited.”

Dani pulled the Lisa's hand into her own and kissed the soft skin of her palm. Marilyn looked at them and spoke in a dangerously low voice. “You disgust me.”

Alice couldn't take it anymore. “What is your problem? That is your child. She didn't ask to be born, that was your choice. You come here talking about the welfare of an innocent child? Have you forgotten the way that you treated your own innocent child?”

Marilyn didn't care for the implications, so she started to question Alice. “What kind of mother are you to accept this . . . this . . . sick relationship?”

Alice blushed in shame before she answered. “I am embarrassed to say that I didn't at first. I didn't talk to Lisa for five months after she told me about her love for your daughter.”

Marilyn's lips turned up into a smile that didn't touch her eyes. “And now everything is just peachy keen, huh?”

Alice shook her head. “You have got to be the coldest person I have ever met. No I wouldn't say that everything is peachy keen, but it's getting there. I had to realize that loving my baby was more important than my judgments about the way that she expressed her love.”

Alice exhaled deeply. “Marilyn, if you would take the time to get to know your own daughter, you would discover that you created an exceptional human being.” She turned and pointed at the tall woman that still had her daughter wrapped in her arms.

“That young woman is one of the most genuine, loving, loyal people that I have ever met. Her integrity is beyond reproach and she can be the best friend that you could ever have.”

Lisa reached up and wiped the tears away that were cascading down her wife's high cheekbones. And then raised up on her tip toes and kissed her slightly salty lips.

She had felt a warmth spread through her when she saw her partner cry in front of someone else and she wanted to let her know that it was alright.

The polished woman would not be moved. “I guess I have to take some of the blame for this. I should never have married beneath me. You know what they say, when you lay down with dogs, you rise with fleas, thank God I have Chloe.”

Lisa wasn't sure if the woman was insulting Gil or both Gil and Dani. It didn't matter. “What kind of mother is happy that she has a spare child? Get the hell out of my house, you small minded, pretentious bitch.” Lisa looked at her mother. “Sorry, mom.”

Alice nodded her head in agreement. Sometimes you just have to cuss at some people.

Marilyn turned on her heels and started to leave. She turned one last time before she opened the door. “I feel very sorry for that baby.”

Then she stared at her daughter. “I should have sent you to that hospital when you were a teenager. Maybe it would have cured you.” And with that . . . she was gone.

Dani dropped her face into her wife's golden head. “I hate her, Beth. If I never see her again it'll be too soon.”

*******

DECEMBER 9, 1990

Dani was in a deep sleep and dreaming. The pasture she was in was lush with greenery. She was on her back with her eyes closed and soaking-up the sun, when . . . a cow wondered over and started to push her with it's nose and mooing very loudly in her ear. She kept her eyes closed and tried to push the animal away, but it wouldn't budge.

She finally gave up on trying to make the beast go away and decided to pay attention. When she did, she started to wake-up. The closer she got to consciousness, the more she realized that the mooing wasn't coming from a cow, but was coming from her wife.

Lisa was laying beside her moaning in pain. She had been pushing Dani, trying to wake her up for a good two minutes. When the sleeping woman's head started to clear, she sat up with a start. “What's wrong, baby?!”

Lisa was moaning in agony, but starting to feel some relief now that the contraction was ending. “I think it's time.”

Dani's eyes went wide. “But . . . but . . . you have two more weeks.”

The pain was over for now, so the teacher spoke without tensing-up. “Tell that to your children. I think we need to head to the hospital, I don't think they're going to wait until we say they can be born.”

The tall woman jumped out of the bed and headed for the closet. “Beth, what do you want wear?”

The pregnant woman was slowly scooting her way to the edge of the bed. “It doesn't matter sweetheart, just a dress that I can pull over my head.”

The tall woman exited the closet with a dress and a pair of tennis shoes. She laid the garment on the bed beside the blonde and went to the dresser to grab a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. “Let me get dressed and then I'll help you.”

When the tall woman was dressed, she helped her wife. After putting a pair of warm socks on the bare feet and tying-up the sneakers, Dani called Elaine Westman so that she could meet them at the hospital.

When Dani hung-up, Lisa was laying on her side writhing in pain. She panted as she spoke. “Baby . . . the pain is becoming . . . more . . . intense.”

The electrician looked at her watch. “Okay, the last contraction was fifteen minutes ago. I think we have plenty of time to get to the hospital.”

When the pain subsided, the small woman slowly sat-up. “I need to get to where the drugs are . . . FAST!”

Dani dressed them both in coats, picked her wife up and headed to the garage. On the way to the hospital she knew that she had probably broken every speed limit that was posted.

She was thankful that it was very early in the morning . . . or late at night, depending on how you looked at it.

*******

Dani parked at the emergency entrance and ran in to grab a wheelchair. When she returned, she placed her wife in it and rushed inside.

Doctor Westman was already there and waiting. They took Lisa into a labor room and hooked her up to the monitors. After the IV was placed, the doctor checked the blonde's cervix.

“Well Mrs. Kendrick, it wont be long now, you are already six centimeters, just four more to go. Lisa was about to respond, when a labor pain hit her. Through clenched teeth Lisa asked when she was she going to get some of those good drugs.

That's when a nurse came in and shot something into the IV after the contraction ended. There was immediate relief. “Aahhh . . . that's more like it.”

Dani stood beside the bed and held her wife's hand in her own. “Baby, do you want me call everyone?”

Elaine cleared her throat and the two women looked in her direction. “Ummm . . . Cynthia is out in the waiting room calling Shirley, I don't know if she is calling anyone else.”

The couple looked at each other and smiled. Dani spoke first. “Soooo, Dr. Westman, how is it that our writer friend is here already?”

Happy to have a reason to exit the room, the doctor headed to the waiting room.

*******

“Okay Lisa, just one more push, come on, dig in your heels and push.”

The teacher was leaning forward and squeezing the hand grips on the side of the bed and pressing her feet into the stirrups. Just when she thought that she couldn't push any more, she felt the small body slip from her own.

The cry was almost immediate. “Well ladies it looks like you are going to have a couple of boys.” She cut the cord and held up the baby for both women to see before she handed him over to the nurse.

Lisa laid back on the bed exhausted. Dani kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear. “Beth, we're having sons, I can't believe it!”

The blonde reached up and stroked her spouse's face. “Are you happy, baby?”

The dark woman leaned down and captured her wife's lips. “I'm very happy, Beth.”

As soon as Dani stood back up, Lisa's contractions started again. Exactly two minutes after the first baby was born, the second one arrived.

*******

The nurses checked the boys over, cleaned them, put little knit caps on their heads and wrapped them in blankets before taking them to their mothers.

She placed a baby on each side of the new mother laying in the bed. They couldn't believe that such a small woman had given birth to two babies, each of them the size of one full term baby.

One of the boys was twenty-one inches long and weighed six pounds and fourteen ounces, and the other also twenty-one inches long, but weighing six pounds five ounces. Giving birth to one baby that size is a feat, but two, is awe inspiring.

Dani sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the blankets down exposing the small bodies. Lisa reached over and pulled their hats off. Both women started to shed tears when both boys opened their eyes.

Laying on the bed were two carbon copies of Dani. The boys had black hair and piercing blue eyes. Their hands and feet were long like their mothers and they had her straight nose.

The only odd thing was, on top of their heads, near the back, where the skull curves right before it flattens out on top, mixed in with the dark curls, there were four strands of blonde hair.

Dani's heart was racing as she ran her fingers through one head and Lisa the other. “Beth, where do you think these came from?”

Lisa continued to finger the babies hair in shock. “I haven't a clue.” Green looked into blue. “I'm not sure that I want to think about this too deeply.”

Dani inhaled and calmed herself, there would be plenty of time for contemplation. Dani picked the bigger of the boys up and kissed his soft cheek. “So which one is this baby?”

Lisa looked at the baby as he looked at Dani and said. “He is Deiniol (Dayn-yol) Eoin. She placed the other baby on her chest as she tried to sit-up in the bed.

After Dani helped her to lean against the headboard, as best she could with one hand, the teacher looked at the baby in her lap. He was just a little smaller than his brother.

She noticed that he had a small black mole on his throat where his Adam's apple would eventually be. “And this little man is Devonald Griffin.”

Dani beamed. “So, we have a young warrior and a strong lord.” She traded babies with her wife and kissed the next baby on his cheek too.

“Well little Devonald, your middle name is Griffin in Welsh that means funny, strong lord. She held the baby up in the air and looked up at him. Are you going to be those things?” As if he understood her, a little baby smile crossed his tiny lips.

She traded babies with Lisa again. “Mr. Deiniol it seems that your mam has decided to kinda name you after me. Your middle name is Eoin, in Welsh that's Evan and it means, young warrior.”

She held him up in the air also and he opened his eyes and looked down at her. “Yeah, I can see it, you are defiantly the defender.”

*******

When the boys were five hours old the only people that hadn't seen them were Gil, Casnar and Heulyn, they had to come from Ellicot city and they weren't the fastest drivers.

It was truly funny to watch Gil be forced by his father to sit in the back seat. No matter how much he tried to get his father to let him drive, Casnar never would. He would send the tall man to the back seat telling him that he drove too fast.

Promptly at noon, the Kendricks walked into the private room. Dani was on the bed sleeping next to Lisa and the boys were in separate bassinets napping also. Gil cleared his throat to wake his daughter up.

Tired blue eyes opened and then brightened. Dani slid off of the bed and greeted her family with hugs. “We have been waiting for you guys all morning.”

Gil pouted and looked at his father. “Tad wouldn't let me drive, so he got us here as soon he could.”

The older man scowled at his son. “Gildas, you drive like the devil himself is on your tail, that's why I don't know if I can trust you to follow the road rules.”

The carpenter raised his arms in the air. “Tad, I'm fifty-one years old, I think I can control a car by now . . . sheesh.”

Heulyn looked at the teacher with love and gratitude showing in her eyes. “There are no words to tell you how much we love and appreciate you. Just know that you couldn't have given this family a greater gift.”

At that moment Lisa knew that all of the pain had been worth it.

Heulyn sat in a large chair in the corner of the room and asked for the two babies. When they were placed in her arms she kissed each baby tenderly. She couldn't stop the wet trail that was making its way down her cheeks.

Dani walked back to Lisa's side, sat down and put her arm around her wife's shoulders. “Beth, nain is going to do to the boys what was done to me and pop and taid before him.”

Green looked lovingly into blue. “What's that, sweetheart?”

The dark woman smiled and kissed her wife's temple. “She is going to tell them, the story of us.”

The older woman held the babies close and started her story. “Ni are Kelts, a ni dod gan Ga+l . . . ” (we are Celts, and we come from Gaul)

*******

DECEMBER 13, 1990

Dani was packing Lisa's clothes and everything that they had accumulated during their four day stay at the hospital.

Lisa was healing nicely, the boy's appetite was healthy, (they chose to express Lisa's milk and bottle feed them) and their circumcisions had been performed.

Cynthia and Shirley had both taken off of work so that they could help the new family return home. Both friends had the boys laying on the bed dressing them for their trip home while Lisa sat in a chair near the window waiting to leave.

The chatter in the room stopped when a knock came to the door. Dani turned from her packing duties to tell the visitor to come in. The sight that greeted them was . . . bizarre.

Freda walked in looking like a mannequin. The photographer had very recently visited the beauty parlor, that fact was obvious because her bleached blonde hair was now a strange coppery-orange blonde. And her chocolate-brown eyes now held green contacts that made them have an odd murky greenish brown tint.

To everyone in the room it was sadly obvious that she was trying to emulate Lisa's golden hair color and green eye shade.

Shirley came out of her shocked silence first. “Umm . . . hey, Freda, what brings you by?”

The strange woman made her way into the room and stood in front of Shirley. “I've come to give best wishes to the happy parents and have a look at the new arrivals.”

Lisa still hadn't said anything as Dani made her way around the bed to stand beside Freda. “We really appreciate that Freda. Ahh . . . let me introduce you to our sons.”

Cynthia and Shirley stepped aside as Dani rested her hand on Freda's shoulder and guided her forward. The boys were wide awake and sucking on their tiny fist when the two women approached.

Dani pointed out each boy to the visitor. “This is Evan and that one is Griffin.” (They had decided to call the boys by their middle names) As soon as the babies heard their mom's voice, they stopped sucking their fists and started looking for her.

When Freda saw the babies, with their black curls and electric blue eyes, her legs felt weak and her eyes wanted to water. They looked just like Dani.

The photographer turned her strange colored eyes to Dani and spoke in a low voice. “My God, how did you get them to look just like you?”

Dani looked at Lisa before she answered. When the blonde nodded her head, Dani answered the question. “They're mine.”

Freda creased her brow in confusion and spoke with sarcasm. “Unless I'm mistaken, you don't have the equipment to get her pregnant.”

Dani laughed a little. “Well . . . that's kinda not true.”

The tall woman looked deep into Freda's eerie eyes. “Beth had my eggs implanted in her and now she has given birth to our sons.”

Understanding hit her brain full force and with that knowledge, she had to get out of there. The air was getting thick and it was becoming hard to breath.

She wordlessly started fluttering her hands around and backed herself towards the door. “I . . . I . . . have an appointment to get to. I've gotta go.” And just like that, she was gone.

The four friends stared at each other, all had sad looks on their faces.

*******

Freda ducked into the first restroom that she could find. When she got inside she went into the nearest empty stall that she came across, locked the door and leaned against the wall. “Oh no . . . oh no . . . she has done it. She gave birth to Dani's babies.”

After a few deep breaths she felt herself start to get more control. “Okay, you underestimated her. That's fine. It's just a small set-back”

The photographer stilled herself and blew out a long breath to calm her nerves. She stood tall and squared her shoulders, regaining her control. “Okay, she wins the battles . . . but I'll win the war.”

With her resolve firmly in place, she exited the stall and checked herself in the mirror. As she pulled the door open to enter the busy corridor, she laughed to herself.

“I gotta give it to you little teacher. That was a brilliant move. I must admit to having just a little respect for you.” The woman left the hospital planning her next move.

*******

FEBRUARY 08, 1991

Dani and Lisa had rented a private dining room at a downtown Washington Chinese restaurant so that there was enough room to accommodate everyone that they had invited. The women wanted to move forward with their plans to build homes.

The boys were in baby carriers that rested in two chairs between their parents. The large table was full. To Lisa's left sat Shirley then Kat, Doug his wife Patty, Cynthia and Elaine ( the women finally announced last Christmas, to no ones surprise that they were officially a couple) George his lover Barry and the table rounded out with Kim and her husband Tom, sitting beside Dani.

Everyone was enjoying their meal when Dani decided to tell them why they were there. “Umm . . . I guess you guys are wondering why we invited you here.”

Doug gave his friend a wicked smile. “Because you love us all so much, that you wanted to spend a fortune on Chinese food to prove it.”

Dani rolled her eyes. “Wrong as usual Bozo.” The big man raised his red brows. “Hey, was that a crack on my hair color?”

The tall woman grinned. “You figured it out . . . what a genius. Any way. Beth and I invited you guys here, because we have a business proposal for you.”

She took a big breath and pushed forward. “As you know, we have already started the tree removal and mapping out of roads on the property that we purchased.”

The entire table nodded. “Okay . . . what we want to know is if you guys would be willing to work for us at Kendrick homes and Kendrick construction?”

The group looked puzzled. Cynthia wanted some clarification. “I thought it was just Kendrick homes, where did the construction division come in?”

The people around the table started to speak all at once, until Lisa got their attention. “We figured that if people liked the homes that Shirley designed for the community, we could branch out and build them any where that folks requested. Hence, the construction part of the business.”

Before anyone could say anything, Dani started speaking again. “We would pay you guys as much if not more than you're making already. You could interview and hire your own crews and set the hours that best fit your lifestyles . . . within reason of course. I mean just because we have always started our days at six a.m., doesn't mean that it has to stay that way.”

Kim cleared her throat. “Dani, you sound like we would all be foremen, how can that be?”

The dark beauty smiled. “Well Kim, we have ten square miles of land to develop and if I want the homes built in a timely manner, I need good people that I can trust to make sure that we are building quality homes. That's too much for one person. So I was thinking that you, George and Douggie here could run your own crews.”

The couples that were seated around the table started talking to each other. The couple at the head of the table looked at each other and smiled. Just then the boys decided that they wanted to have some dinner too.

Dani reached into the diaper bag and pulled out two bottles. Lisa had expressed the milk before they left the house.

They each laid a burping cloth over their shoulder and picked-up a baby. At two months, Evan and Griffin where growing pretty fast. The pediatrician said that they where off of the height chart and would probably top off at about six-foot two.

As Lisa fed Griffin she ran her fingers through his soft curls, when she reached the point where the blonde hairs resided, she rubbed them between her finger and thumb and thought for the hundredth time. ‘I wonder if this has something to do with me.' When she looked at her wife, Dani was smiling at her and said out loud. “I have no doubt.”

Lisa returned her smile “Then neither do I..” She looked Dani deep in the eyes. “I'll believe with my whole heart.”

Before Dani could agree, George got their hostess' attention. “We all want to go home and think about this for a few days.”

Dani raised Evan to her shoulder to burp him. “You guys can take your time. I won't need an answer until the end of next month.”

*******

When the women got home, they bathed the boys and put them to bed. Now they were laying in bed wrapped in each other's arms.

Dani slowly rubbed her large hands up and down Lisa's back. While the smaller woman placed soft lingering kisses on the long neck that her face was nestled in.

The electrician hadn't made love to her wife since the babies had been born. She had insisted that they wait longer than the standard six weeks, her theory being. Lisa gave birth to two large babies, so she should take some extra time to heal. Well it had been eight weeks and the teacher was almost ready to explode.

As she kissed the long neck, she kneaded her wife's full breast with one hand. When her finger and thumb began to slowly work the dark nipple into a hard peak, Dani moaned loudly.

“Beth . . . that feels so good, baby.”

The aroused woman readjusted and positioned herself on top of the strong body. “I've missed you more than I can say.” She kissed Dani deeply before starting to move down her body.

Her mouth replaced her hand and she covered the tall woman's breast with a warm mouth. As her mouth sucked and her tongue licked one breast, her hand massaged the other one and her thumb passed back and forth over the opposite nipple.

When she raised her head to switch breast, Dani opened her legs so that their mounds touched. The contact made them both stop and groan.

Lisa slowly made her way down the hard body and paused to nip around a perfectly round belly-button. The scent of her spouse's arousal drove her need to move lower.

She rubbed her nose in dark damp curls and brought her hands around to cup two well-muscled glutes. She buried her face in the dark hair and parted two swollen lips with her tongue.

Dani clenched the bed sheets and bit her bottom lip to stop from crying out.

The blonde sensuously moved her tongue up the length of the electrician's sex.

Dani couldn't take anymore. “Please baby, I need you.”

Lisa understood exactly what her wife wanted. Dani hadn't been inside of the teacher since she found out that she was pregnant nearly a year ago and Dani had decided, if Lisa wasn't going to have that pleasure, nether would she.

The teacher was determined that their need for that very intimate contact was going to be satisfied tonight.

She raised her hand and positioned it at Dani's opening. The steady flow that was coming out made it easy for her to insert two fingers.

A pillow was immediately placed over the dark woman's face. She found herself biting into the material so that she didn't scream.

Lisa pumped into the tall woman with a steady rhythm. She licked around her fingers not wanting to miss any of the liquid. When she moved her mouth to incase the hard clit, Dani knew that it wouldn't be long.

Her hips moved faster forcing her spouse's fingers deeper. She reached down with one hand and held the blonde head in place. As she held her partner close, her hips came off of the bed and she rocked harder.

The tendons in Dani's neck stood out in relief as she bit into the pillow that covered her face and rocked her hips faster and faster. When she went over she screamed her release into the now damp cotton.

When her movements slowed and her hips dropped back to the bed she released the blonde head. Lisa crawled up the powerful body and removed the pillow from the dark woman's face.

The blue eyes that looked back at her were filled with devotion. Dani pulled the woman down and kissed her lips tasting herself.

Lisa raised-up on her arms and stared down at her partner. “And I love you.”

Dani couldn't resist. Two large breast were swaying right in front of her. She lifted her head and took one into her mouth. When she sucked on the tip, she was surprised when a sweet fluid entered her mouth.

After she tasted it she released the pink nipple. “Damn, the boys are eating good.”

Lisa slapped her mate's broad shoulder. “You are so silly. That milk is not for you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. They don't have to worry, I won't be asking them to share.” She flipped Lisa over and straddled her waist.

“I just wanted to get a taste of what's got them growing so fast.”

Green eyes twinkled. “How was it?”

The dark head descended and captured waiting lips. She pulled back her mouth so that it was barely touching the other woman's. “Like everything else about you . . . Delicious.”

Green eyes that were burning with need held Dani prisoner. “Make love to me sweetheart. I can't wait any longer.”

Without hesitation she started down her wife's body. Even after having the babies the smaller woman was still very toned. She hadn't got back all of the firmness, but it was hard to believe that she had given birth to two babies just two months prior.

When Dani was taking too long to get to where Lisa needed her, the smaller woman pushed her down by the shoulders.

At the first touch of the hot mouth. The teacher let out a strangled groan. After several minutes of receiving the special attention only Dani has been able to give her. Lisa reached down and pulled her wife up so that she could look into her eyes.

“Baby, I need you inside. I miss you so much.” She reached down between them and placed Dani's hand in her blonde curls.

The dark woman didn't need any more prompting. She ran a long finger between Lisa's neither lips and gentle sucked on her neck.

She positioned one finger at the moist opening and slowly entered her wife. Lisa groaned from deep in her chest. The familiar feeling came crashing back to her.

Dani wanted to see the beautiful woman that was her wife. She looked down into green eyes that had gone dark with passion.

As she moved in and out of Lisa, the blonde grabbed the hand that was pleasing her and whispered for more.

When Dani gently added another finger she saw green eyes roll back. Lisa started to pant and raised up her hips to meet each thrust of her spouse's hand.

She wrapped her arms around Dani's neck and held on tight. As her movements became faster and faster more fluid flowed from her center.

When Dani pressed her thumb against her love's swollen bundle, her panting became quicker and her walls tightened around the long fingers that were deep inside of her, she said the same thing over and over.

“Oh Dani . . . oh Dani . . . oh Dani.” The electrician knew that her partner was about to go over. She watched as every muscle in the blonde's face started to twitch.

It was mesmerizing. Pink lips were slightly opened with warm breaths bursting out at short intervals between each round of chants. When she was about to reach the pinnacle her mouth opened wide in a silent scream.

Dani felt her heart start to beat faster when she realized that the silent scream was about to become a very loud one.

The dark woman had only seconds to think before her spouse woke, not only their children, but the entire neighborhood.

Just as the first sound was emitting from Lisa's strained throat Dani covered the open mouth with her own. Swallowing as much of the scream as she could.

The waves of sound vibrated in her throat and chest as she absorbed each one. Short nails were digging into her shoulder while Lisa anchored herself.

When the smaller woman finally started to descend, her body slowly went limp. Dani laid beside her and brushed damp bangs off of her forehead.

“Beth . . . are you okay?”

Green eyes opened and the love shining from them sent a bolt straight to the taller woman's heart. The blonde couldn't speak so she had to let her emotions come through her eyes.

Dani leaned down and kissed her wife before pulling the covers over them and pressing their bodies closer together. “I love you too baby . . . More than anything.”

*******

APRIL 23 1991

Dani and Lisa had dropped the boys off at Lisa's parent's house so that they could check on the progress of their building projects.

The office, school and model home building was going on simultaneously. After consulting with an accountant and a financial planner they decided to do financing through the bank for the building materials and paying back the loan when the land and homes began to sell.

Their first stop was to their new home to check on the progress. The basement had been dug out and walled in. The floors had been laid and walls were being put up. The interior was coming together quickly.

The different rooms were becoming distinctive. It was plain to see where the kitchen and dining room were two separate areas.

They didn't want to get in the worker's way, so they walked around the grounds holding hands, looking at the progress from outside.

“Look sweetheart. They've laid the foundation for the guesthouse.”

Dani looked where Lisa was pointing. “I think two bedrooms will be enough. Don't you Beth?”

The blonde squeezed the larger hand a little tighter. “I think two are plenty. Come on, let's go down by the water.”

They walked hand-in-hand down the slight incline. “Have decided on what type of boat you want?”

The tall woman sat on the grass and positioned the smaller woman between her legs while they looked out over the lake. “You're not gonna believe this, but I think I want to get a pontoon.”

Lisa turned and looked over her shoulder. “What's a pontoon?”

Dani kissed the top of the golden head that rested on her chest, and inhaled the scent of her wife's shampoo. Without fail the same thought came to her again. ‘She smells like sunshine, raindrops and an ocean breeze all at once.'

“A pontoon my love, is like a boat used for touring, only smaller. It has a retractable top, side railings and it sits on two long silver tubes that look like torpedo's.”

“Why that instead of the fishing boat you've always talked about?”

She pulled Lisa closer to her. “Because I want to take my family out and I think a pontoon is the safest way to do it.

We won't have to worry about the kids falling overboard or getting sunstroke. The seating is spacious and safe. And we can sit of stand and fish off of the sides without dealing with the rocking of a fishing boat.”

Lisa exhaled. “I can't believe the boys are already four months old.” She looked over her shoulder again and smiled. “So ya still want two more?”

Dani looked deep into eyes that were a shade of green that she knew didn't exist anywhere else in the universe. “More than ever. If you are willing to give me more children I would consider it an honor.”

Lisa stood and held out her hand for her larger partner. Dani accepted the strong hand and came up off of the ground.

As they walked back to the construction area, Lisa spoke her thoughts. “Well . . . if we still want them two years apart . . . I need to be pregnant before the end of December.”

Dani stopped their progress. “It's your body baby. If you don't want to be pregnant again when the boys are only a year old, I have no problem with it.”

The teacher reached up and caressed her wife's strong jaw. “I don't mind at all. I still want all four of them to grow-up together.

I'll go in for monitoring in October so that we will know when I'm ovulating. Once that has been established, we'll do the insemination.”

The electrician pulled the blonde closer. “So, we're still going with using your eggs for the last two?”

Lisa raised up on her tip toes and kissed a pair of soft lips. “Unless you want to get more shots and go through egg extractions again.”

Dani remembered what the process had taken out of her. “No . . . that's alright, we'll use the blonde eggs this time.”

Lisa started them back to the house. “I thought so.” She looped her arm through Dani's. “

We've got plenty of time to think about that. For now, let's just concentrate on Evan, Griffin, the house and building new homes.”

A huge smile spread across the tall woman's beautiful face. “Yeah . . . I like those thoughts.”

*******

On the way out they drove past the model homes that were being built under Kim's supervision and the school construction that George was overseeing.

They felt blessed and a little frightened that their friends had given-up their union jobs and trusted them to support their families.

When they reached the border of their property they stopped to talk to Doug who was running the office building crew.

They climbed out of the Pathfinder and went into the mostly finished one story building. When they entered the front door they were amazed by the progress.

Under Doug's supervision the structure was very close to completion. The waiting and reception area along with the three offices were already walled in. And the carpenters were installing the counter in the front waiting area.

One of the workers saw the women come in and approached them. He couldn't help but notice the beauty of the two women and decided he would flirt a little.

The tall one had the bluest eyes he had ever seen and the short blonde was a vision. He swaggered up to them and didn't try to hide his obvious interest.

When he spoke his eyes roam up and down their bodies. “I'm sorry ladies but you can't be in here while the construction is going on.”

He leaned into Lisa a little as if he was going to tell her a secret. “It's still a little dangerous and I would hate for either one of you to get hurt.”

Doug came out of one of the offices and saw the young man's posture. He just shook his head and walked towards the three adults.

When he reached them he put his hand on the young man's shoulder. “Sam, let me introduce you to our unexpected visitors.”

He gave a knowing smile to the two women and then proceeded. “This is Dani and Lisa Kendrick.”

The young man extended his hand and smiled, while thinking. ‘Oh yeah . . . sisters.'

He shook each woman's hand and held on just a little longer than necessary with each one. Doug saw that the kid's brain still wasn't registering who he was talking to.

“Sam, this is Dani and Lisa Kendrick . . . as in Kendrick construction.”

He continued to smile for a couple of more seconds and then his face dropped. “You . . . you're the owners, huh?”

Both women smiled and said yes.

“Oh shit. I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I . . . ”

Dani cut him off before he dug himself any deeper. “That's okay, Sam.”

Then she looked at him in all seriousness. “But if you had continued to flirt with my wife . . . I may have had to break your arm.”

Lisa looked up at her wife and saw that she wasn't joking. So she hit her in the stomach with the back of her hand. “Stop trying to scare the workers goofy.”

She looked at the shocked young man one more time and said. “You are very lucky that she's the nice one.”

When Doug told him to go and work on the trim and the second office. Sam was relieved to be able to leave the tall woman's menacing presence.

“So ladies, what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”

Lisa spoke first. “We came to check on the progress of the house and thought we'd stop by on our way out, just to say hello.”

Doug noted how the sweet blonde was a calming force in his friends life and was once again reminded why he liked her so much.

“You do realize that it's because of you that tall, dark and intense doesn't bulldoze through here and fire everyone.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “She's not that bad Doug.”

Doug looked over his shoulder and then turned his focus back on the two women. “Tell that to poor Sam.”

Dani started to bristle a little. “That guy was out of line. If that's how he's going to treat every woman that shows-up, then maybe he does need to be fired.”

Lisa wrapped her arm around Dani's waist and leaned into her. “He's just kidding goofy. Don't take it so seriously.”

Dani fell into the warmth of Lisa's embrace and regained a little of her sense of humor. “Well at least he has good taste.”

She then spoke to the redhead. “How long before we can open the office Doug

“Probably the second week in May. The size of the building made this a quick project.”

“That's good. How do you feel about taking your crew over and helping Kim with the model homes when you're done here?”

“Not a problem. It doesn't matter to me where I work, we're all trying to achieve the same goal. Building the best quality homes that this area has ever seen.”

Their friend's sentiment warmed them. “Come on goofy, let's get out of the way and let everyone get back to work.”

They left the building and headed for the truck. Lisa was feeling a little mischievous. “Sweetheart . . . if you're gonna break people's arms for flirting with me, can I kick them in the shins when they flirt with you?”

The visual struck Dani as hilarious and she couldn't stop the laughter the bubbled up in her chest. She wrapped her long arm around her wife and pulled her close. “Baby . . . you can kick them wherever you can reach them.”

And with that they got into the truck and headed back to Largo to pick the boys up.

*******

Lisa and Shirley were out with the boys and shopping for office furniture. Dani left all of the decorating decisions up to her.

At the moment they were in the section of the store that displayed chairs. “What do you think Shirley? Should I get leather or cloth?”

The architect was standing behind the double stroller trying to see what her friend was looking at. “I say go with the leather. It projects a sense of power and professionalism.”

Lisa walked around the chair that she was considering. “Ummm . . . I can . . . ”

She stopped moving and looked around the store. Shirley noticed the odd behavior and frowned. “What's wrong?”

Lisa continued to scan her surroundings. “I just got the oddest feeling. Like someone was watching me.”

Shirley looked around too. Trying to see if there was anything out of the ordinary. When neither woman saw anything Lisa shrugged her shoulder.

“Oh well, maybe I'm just imagining things. So . . . should I get black leather, brown or burgundy?”

*******

The would be stalker ducked behind a large bedding display when the blonde teacher started looking around. “I have to be more careful. All I need is for her to see me staring at her.”

When the two friends started moving again, the watcher didn't follow as closely as she had before. “Those are two handsome little guys you've got there. Too bad they have the wrong mother.”

She knows nothing about pleasing a woman like Dani or raising those babies. I think it's time for some changes to be made.”

The crazy woman laughed to herself. “It will be like when they switched Darren's on Bewitched. Just pull one out and slide another one in . . . no explanations necessary”

*******

MAY 15, 1991

Lisa and Dani were directing the movers, telling them which office to put the furniture in. She had chosen to put a light tan carpet in Dani's office. She picked a black leather chair to sit behind the large walnut desk that was the center piece of the room.

The walls were a pale peach that when reflected in the ambient lighting made the room feel tranquil. While the other offices were being filled, Lisa was covering the walls in Dani's office with her credentials, licenses and inspection certificates.

On the wall behind the large desk was a large family portrait showing Dani standing behind a seated Lisa holding four month old Evan and Griffin.

As she was placing the brass nameplate on the front of the desk Dani came in and looked around. “Is this the same room I left two hours ago?”

Lisa was beaming with pride. “Yep.” She put her hands on her hips. “What do you think?”

Dani had a wicked gleam in her eyes as she stalked Lisa. When she had backed the smaller woman against the large desk she leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “I think that I want to lay you on top of this highly polished desk and have my way with you.”

Lisa wanted to give in to the passion that was rolling off of the larger woman, but with the delivery men still there she wasn't about to take the chance of getting caught.

She laced her fingers together behind the larger woman's neck to stop her from laying her down any further. She kissed Dani deeply and then leaned back so that she could look into her eyes. “You can't have what you what sweetheart. At least not here.”

The tall woman stood up and brought her wife with her. “You spoil all of my fun Beth.”

Lisa slid around her spouse and continued decorating the walls. “Aww, my poor goofy. She gets some when ever and where ever she wants, except today and she's pouting.”

The electrician blushed knowing her partner's words were true. She headed out to check on the other offices and spoke over her shoulder. “You think you'll be ready to leave in about an hour?”

Lisa was hanging a picture of an aerial view of the property on the wall. “Yeah, I can do that. Wanna stop for some take-out before we pick-up the boys?”

Dani was already out of the room when she yelled back. “That'll be great!”

Lisa smile to herself as she hung a painting. “Gotta love her.”

*******

It was a typical night in for Dani and Lisa. Lisa was sitting on the couch expressing milk, Dani was laying down with her feet in the smaller woman's lap and the boys were on the floor, for lack of a better word, playing with each other.

They would scoot around on their stomachs trying to get to a toy or each other. Dani was eating an onion ring watching them.

She held out an onion ring to one of the babies. “Griff. Come here. You want this?”

The baby's blue eyes focused on the treat. When he raised his head the mole on his neck came into view. He raised up onto his hands and knees and rocked back and forth, clearly wanting to crawl, but not being able to put the movements together.

Evan was balancing on his stomach with his arms out to his sides and his legs in the air. He looked like a skydiver.

The five month old dropped to his belly and pulled himself over to his mother. When he reached her she gave him the coating off of the ring.

Evan watched and started to whimper when he couldn't get there fast enough. Griffin heard his brother and held out a sticky hand with pieces of mush in it to him.

Evan made it to his brother and picked the food from Griffin's hand as best he could with his limited dexterity.

The two women looked at each other amazed. “Beth . . . did Griff just . . . ”

Lisa nodded her head yes. “I don't believe it, but yes. He shared his food with Evan.

Now that they were both by the couch, near the food source. Two sets of matching blue eyes looked up at Dani with a question in them.

She started peeling more coating off of her onion rings and split it between the boys.

Lisa finished pouring the milk into the bottles and gave them to the babies. “You know baby, I think this will be the last month that I give them breast milk. Next month I'll start giving them diluted dairy milk.”

Dani looked at the boys laying on their backs holding their bottles and smiled. “That's fine with me. I guess we'll see if it's fine with them soon enough.”

Dani looked at her wife and smiled lasciviously. “I can't say that I won't be happy to have my breast back in action. Those two have had them long enough.”

Lisa changed positions and crawled on top of the taller woman. “Has my poor baby been missing her tah-tah's?”

Dani pulled Lisa's soft lips to her own. “You know I have.” She reached between them and caressed the body part in question.

“I miss the feel of them in my mouth.”

Lisa captured her lips again and started to kiss her spouse deeply. When they started to get a little more involved they were interrupted by twin burps coming from the floor.

They both turned their heads to look at their children. They had to laugh themselves when they were greeted by two toothless grins.”

Lisa laid her head back on Dani's chest and they both exhaled. Having the same thought. ‘This is what life is all about.'

*******

JULY 1, 1991

Lisa was wrapping glasses and plates in the kitchen. This was going to be the first time in years that she didn't attend Cynthia's Fourth of July barbeque.

But she didn't have a choice. Their house was ready and they were packing to move. Her parents were there helping pack and watch the boys.

Dani would be back later. She was meeting with a lawyer to draw up legal papers separating their personal assets from the business ones. That way if the business was ever sued there personal holdings couldn't be attached.

She was finished with the glassware and was now sitting on the floor packing pots and pans when Evan crawled in. He came up beside her and then sat on his diaper covered bottom.

Lisa looked at him and smiled. She couldn't get over how with each passing day they looked more and more like Dani.

His blue eyes stared into her green and then he started talking gibberish. Lisa could tell by the set of his face that he was telling her something of great importance.

Her heart filled with love all over again. She opened her arms and he crawled into her lap. She stood him up on her legs and he started to jump.

“Hey Evan. Give me a kiss.” He leaned in and gave her a sloppy opened mouth kiss on her cheek.

She laughed at the sweetness of it. Then she stood up and took him into the living room. “Mom I need to go down to the U-Haul store and get some more boxes.”

Griffin heard his mother and crawled over to her feet. She put Evan down and picked him up. She did the same thing with him that she did with Evan. “Griff, give me a kiss. The baby squealed and slobbered on her face. He was more than happy to kiss his favorite person.

She laughed and put him down with his brother. She watched as they crawled off together speaking in their twin language.

Alice stopped what she was doing and told her daughter that it was fine. “Could you bring back some burgers and fries? It'll be lunchtime soon and your father is going to be hungry.

Lisa grabbed her keys and headed for the garage. “No problem. I'll be back in about forty-five minutes”

*******

On her way to the store she saw a woman on the side of the road with the hood up on her car. She waved Lisa down and the teacher pulled over.

The woman explained that she had run out of gas and needed a lift to the station. Lisa had a strange feeling about the woman, but she shook it off in order to help someone in need.

“Hop in, I'll give you a ride to the gas station.”

Lisa watched as the woman put the hood down and lock her car doors. Then she got in on the passenger side of the Jeep Laredo that Dani had just bought her.

The passenger looked at the blonde woman. This was the first time she had seen her this close-up. She had to admit that she was beautiful.

Her blonde hair was pulled back into a pony tail that hung down her back. She was wearing sandals on her feet and a pair of khaki shorts with a tank top. Her body looked fit and firm.

She thought to herself. ‘It's unbelievable that she had two small babies . . . just another reason for me to hate her.' But said out loud. “This is a nice truck.”

Lisa smiled unconsciously. “Thanks, my wife just bought it for me.”

She didn't see the dark curtain that fell over her passengers eyes.

Lisa saw a gas station up ahead. “I'll drop you off here. Will you be able to get back to your . . . ”

She stopped talking when she saw the sharp very long knife positioned at her side.

The teacher turned and looked into stormy gray eyes. “What do you want me to do?”

The woman gave a humorless laugh. “What do I want you to do? I want you to disafuckingpear.”

Lisa was really confused. “I'm sorry, but I don't understand.”

The passenger mimicked her in a pinched voice. “I'm sorry, but I don't understand. You'll understand soon enough. Make a right at the next corner.”

Lisa was trying very hard not to panic. This woman obviously had a problem with her. She just didn't know what it was. She needed to stay calm until she could figure a way out of this.

“How did you know when to wait for me?”

The woman looked at her thinking. After making a decision she answered. I was parked up the street from your house and when I saw you backing out of the driveway, I drove ahead and stopped on the side of the road and waited for you.”

“Why were you parked on our street?”

The kidnapper became annoyed. “Enough of the questions. Just drive the car and shut-up.”

Lisa followed the woman's directions until she ended up in front of an apartment building in north west Washington.

The crazy woman scooted over so that she could get out on the same side as the blonde. The sharp knife pressed into her side the whole time.

They walked-up to the second floor and a door was opened. Lisa was pushed inside and nearly hit the floor when she stumbled. She was shoved forward until she was inside a small dark room. Then the nut case forced her to sit in a chair.

Lisa's heart rate increased when she saw the handcuffs. “Look umm, is that really necessary?”

The slap to her face rocked her back a little. “Don't question me bitch. Just put your hands behind you.”

Lisa followed her orders and watched as she put the key in her front pocket. Her captor walked to the entrance of the room and turned the light on.

When green eyes adjusted to the bright light Lisa moaned. She realized that she was in more trouble than she first thought.

*******

Dani was driving home from the lawyers office. While sitting at a red light she all of a sudden was hit by a wave of fear. She and Lisa had been sharing feelings for nearly three years now, so she knew when emotions were hers and when they were her wife's.

This was all Lisa. She stopped at the first seven-eleven she saw and ran to the phone booth to call home. When Alice answered she asked if she could speak to Lisa.

“She's not here Dani. She went to buy some more boxes and pick something up for lunch.”

“Yeah, everything is fine. I just wanted to talk to Beth for a second. Umm. How long has she been gone?”

“I'd say about thirty-five minutes.”

“Okay, thanks Alice. I'll see you when I'm finished taking care of some business.”

Dani jumped back in the Pathfinder and headed for Buddy Attick Park so that she could concentrate on her mate.

She parked in the lot and walked down to the pond and located the tree that they liked to sit under. She rested the back of her head against the bark and emptied her mind of everything except her wife.

She knew that through their connection, Lisa would let her know where she was. It seemed like with each passing day, they were becoming . . . more.

*******

Lisa found herself staring at four walls covered with pictures of Dani and some of the two of them together. From the time frame of some of the pictures, this maniac had been watching them for over a year.

The sick woman had pasted her own face over Lisa's in the shots of them together. Like she was trying to slip herself into the teacher's life.

Lisa focused on the print of her and Dani in the park on the day she told her that she was pregnant. It was a lovely shot, except the crazy woman had glued her head over Lisa's face.

“W . . . w . . . what do you want with me?”

The gray eyed woman stood in front of her prisoner. “I want my life. I'm supposed to be Dani's wife and mother of her children, and after today, that's exactly what I'll be.”

Green eyes went wide with fear. “Who are you?”

“Come on you know who I am. Dani loved me more than life its self. That's why she broke Jimmy's jaw when she found us together.”

Dani sprung-up from the ground. “Shit Cory has her.” The tall woman ran to her truck and pulled out of the parking lot, the tires throwing gavel across the area.

The electrician was frantic. “I hope she still lives in north west. Damn it! Why is she here? I've got to find Beth, she's really scared. What is that bitch doing to her? If she hurts her . . . I'll kill her!”

*******

“You're Cory.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Ahh, so Dani has mentioned me. I knew she still cared.”

Lisa's anger was starting to over take her fear. “Yes, she mentioned you. She told me how she caught you screwing her co-worker.” Lisa didn't try to hide her disgust.

The redhead turned on her. “Jimmy was a mistake. I should never have been involved with him, he's a drunk that only works enough to keep himself in booze. He's a loser.”

Lisa couldn't stop the snide remark. “What? When you were making your silly little list, You forgot to add that small character flaw to it?”

Again, her face felt the sting from a slap. She knew this one was going to leave a bruise. The nut had hit her in the exact same spot that she had hit previously. Lisa felt her eyes water, but she refused to let the tears fall.

Cory bent over and stared at her. “What's wrong? Is your face hurting?”

Lisa looked deep into the other woman's eyes. “You're going to be really sorry you started this.”

Cory walked around the small room. “Oh really? Why is that?”

The smile that creased the blonde's face sent chills down the redhead's spine.

“Because, when Dani gets here, she's gonna be really mad.”

*******

“Of course today is the day that no one is in a hurry to get anywhere.” Dani was blowing her horn and riding bumpers trying to get cars to move out of her way.

She was looking off to the side trying to decide if it would be faster to go on the sidewalk. “No that would be a bad move. The police would arrest me and I would get to Beth too late.”

“Too late? Too late for what?” She wasn't one to talk to herself a lot, but when she did, it was for a reason.

“You know what. There is no reason for her to be with Cory. She doesn't even know what she looks like. That bitch is up to no good and she has my wife.”

Just then, Dani felt a surge of anger. She couldn't help but smile. “Oh my, feels like someone has pissed Beth off.”

Then a wicked twinkle came into her eyes. “If you think she's mad . . . you ain't seen nothing yet.” She saw an opening and pushed on the gas. She was five miles away.

*******

Cory was pacing in the room. Talking out loud. “I chose Jimmy because I thought that since he was a foreman he was the more successful of the two and could offer me a better future.

And here he is still living in his one bedroom apartment and Dani has a house with a two car garage.

Lisa was silently thankful that the pacing woman didn't know the full extent of Dani's finances.

The red head continued “And then, there was the fact that I enjoyed sex with him more.”

She withdrew into herself as she spoke. “She was the only person I'd ever met that I couldn't get to please me orally . . . She simply refuse.”

Lisa listened to the sick woman's musings and inside, she was laughing hysterically. Then she thought to herself. ‘My baby knows where she should and where she shouldn't put that beautiful mouth of her's.'

As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew the crazy woman was going to strike. She was right.

Gray eyes narrowed and Lisa felt a hard punch to her stomach. She doubled over as best as she could, trying to get some relief.

‘That was a dumb thing for me to do. I need to keep my mouth shut and wait for Dani to get here. I can feel her. She's very close.'

To be a tall woman the fingers that grabbed Lisa's chin were shorter than expected. “When I'm done with you, that smart little mouth will be silenced for good. All that you have will be mine. Dani, those babies.” Then she laughed. “Even that brand new truck.”

She picked-up Lisa's left hand. “These rings will be mine too.” She stopped talking when she noticed that there was lettering on the gold band that the emerald cut diamond rested on.

She turned the soft hand over. “What is an ANVIL?”

Lisa rolled her eyes at the woman's mistake and bit back the smart remark that wanted to come out. “That's Dani's middle name.”

“Who would name their child anvil? That doesn't make any sense.”

“It's Welsh. Her father gave her the name.”

The information infuriated the redhead. Here was yet another thing the blonde knew that she didn't. But that was fine because it was time to end this party so that she could go and claim her family.

She picked the sharp knife up off of the table and approached the seated woman. Lisa's heart started to beat faster. She saw the look in the mad woman's eyes and knew that she meant business.

Her thoughts were frantic. ‘Baby, if your coming, please come now!'

Cory slowly slide the tip of the blade across Lisa's upper chest, from one collarbone to the other. The cut wasn't deep, she only put enough pressure on the knife to break the skin. She watched fascinated as the skin slowly opened and the line turned red.

Lisa was surprised when the pain that she anticipated didn't come. Instead their was a stinging sensation. She looked down at her chest and realized that the woman was going to play with her before she killed her.

The redhead place the tip of the knife between Lisa's breast and trailed the razor sharp tip up to meet the thin line that she had already made. Again the thin trickle of blood fascinated the maniac.

She wanted to see more of the blonde woman's blood flow. She wanted it to come faster.

She looked at Lisa and gave her a sadistic smile. “Looks like it's time for you to die.” She raised the knife and plunged it down.

Lisa closed her eyes and screamed in her brain. ‘DANI!'

*******

Dani saw Lisa's Jeep parked in front of the familiar building and jumped out. She ran up the steps on her way to the second floor.

Her progress was stopped when she doubled over in pain. ‘She hurt Beth's stomach. I'm gonna get ya for that one.'

When the pain subsided she continued up the steps taking them two at a time.

Dani reached the door and put her ear to it. She could hear muffled voices inside. She tried to turn the doorknob and found that it was locked.

She checked her wallet and cursed. “The one time that I might be able to use a credit card, I don't have one. Shit!”

She tried to turn the knob, hoping that it would give. It gave only a little. Her heart started to pound and fear started to rise in her belly. The fear turned to terror and she knew that it was now or never.

She grabbed the doorknob with both hands and turned until it broke off in her hand. The catch was released and she hurried into the apartment.

There was only one room that seemed to be occupied and she ran to it. As she entered, two things happened. Her mind filled with her own name and she saw Cory holding a knife above Lisa, ready to bury it in her.

What followed next was something that would have to be told to her, because her mind went blank with rage. She grabbed the other woman's arm and stopped her movement before she could make contact with the blonde woman's body.

When she twisted the wrist to make the redhead drop the knife, the force was so great that she broke bones not only in the wrist, but in the forearm too.

The injured woman howled in pain, but Dani was deaf to it. When she spun the woman around she raised her right fist and made contact with the woman's cheek and bones gave away on the side of the redhead's face.

She drew back again and delivered a devastating blow to the woman's stomach.

The redhead crumpled to the floor in the fetal position trying to protect herself. Dani was now kicking her everywhere that her feet could reach. She was lost in a fugue.

*******

Lisa was finally coming out of her state of shock. When she didn't feel the knife immerse its self into her flesh, she opened her eyes and saw her savior.

The only problem was that Dani was out of control. Lisa could feel the insanity in her own mind. She wiggled around in the chair trying to get free, but she was trapped.

She saw how badly her wife was beating the other woman and knew that she had to stop her before it was too late.

Lisa inhaled a lung full of air and screamed. “ANNWYL . . . AROS!” (stop)

Dani went completely still. She slowly turned around and looked into her own soul. She hurried to her partner and fell to her knees crying. The fear of what could have happened taking over.

“Oh God Beth . . . she was going to kill you.”

Lisa soothed her as best as she could, considering her hands were behind her back. “Baby, look in her front pocket and get the key to the handcuffs.”

The dark head rose from the seated woman's lap and blue eyes looked-up and saw that her mate was restrained. She crawled over to the severely injured woman and rolled her onto her back

Dani ignored the pain filled moan that came from the redhead's mangled face. She reached into the front of her jeans and found the key.

She quickly freed Lisa and hugged her tight. When she released her she finally noticed the injuries that her mate had suffered.

There was a large bruise on the side of her face and some kind of damage had been done to her chest, because there were thin lines of blood visible on her soft skin and the red flow was soaking the front of Lisa's tank top.

Her blue eyes welled-up with tears and she made a keening noise like an injured animal. She moved too fast for Lisa to stop her and went over and started kicking the woman again.

Lisa jumped on her broad back and started stoking her chest while kissing the side of her spouses face, trying to calm her down, then she whispered in her ear.

“You've got to get a hold of yourself sweetheart. You've done enough damage. Let the police take it from here.

She slowly slid off and turned Dani to face her. She saw the stark fear in her blue eyes and knew that she had to reassure her that she was fine. That everything was going to be okay.

She pulled her down and kissed her, softly at first, then she deepened it and felt the long arms tighten around her and pull her closer.

The larger woman's tongue tried to devour her mouth. Dani dropped her hands and cupped the back of the khaki shorts the smaller woman was wearing. She needed this contact. She needed to be reassured that her other half was there, that she was safe.

Lisa broke the kiss and leaned back, she saw that the blue eyes were clearer and there was even a little mischief showing through too.

A loving hand caressed a high cheekbone. “Baby, we should call the police and have them bring the paramedics. It looks like you hurt her pretty badly.”

Dani lightly brushed the tips of her fingers over Lisa's bruised jaw. “I wanted to kill her Beth. If she had stabbed you . . . it would have killed me . . . literally.”

The police arrived and were securing the scene. Dani couldn't believe that Cory had gone over the deep end this way.

When the paramedics did a preliminary examination of the battered woman they noted a broken wrist and forearm. The left side of her face was shattered, she had at least three broken ribs. And her body was littered with bruises.

One of the paramedics asked them if the woman had been beaten with a baseball bat.

After the woman was taken to the hospital and they had given their statements to the police, the women left the apartment.

Before the police arrived, they had to come-up with an explanation as to how Dani had found her. After all, who would believe the truth?

They decided to say that after Lisa was late getting home that Dani went looking for her and saw Cory's car parked near their home and she just went with a hunch.

They just hoped that the authorities didn't find out that it wasn't the same car that the woman had when they had known each other.

When they got to Lisa's Jeep Dani tried once again to get her wife to go and get her injuries checked out. “No sweetheart. I'm fine. The EMT's cleaned the cuts and said that they won't even leave a scar and the bruise will be gone in a week.

Let's just go home and be with our family. Mom and dad are already anxious enough. Without adding a visit to the hospital.”

Dani walked over to her Pathfinder and grabbed one of her extra work shirts. She went back to her spouse and handed it to her.

“Here, put this on, you don't want them to think that the injury is worse than it really is.”

When she put the shirt on and started to button it up, Dani's familiar scent wafted up and filled her senses. For some reason that comforting aroma made the dam break.

The tears started to fall unchecked. “S..s..she a..a..almost ruined or lives today.”

Dani immediately wrapped her arms around her spouse, cocooning the smaller woman in her warm embrace.

“It's okay Beth. It's all over and you'll never have to worry about her again.”

Salty tears soaked the front of the tall woman's shirt. “Let it out baby.”

Dani wanted to go to the hospital and beat the woman all over again.

*******

The two women finally convinced Alice and Herman that Lisa was fine and the older couple left for home.

They were sitting on the sofa, each holding a baby. They needed the connection of their family unit.

Griffin seemed to be very sensitive to his mother's emotional state and was standing on her lap with his dark curly head resting on her shoulder while playing with a blonde strand of hair.

Dani and Evan sat looking like the protectors that they were, trying to figure out how to make there loved ones feel better.

Evan wiggled his way off of Dani's lap and crawled over to Griffin's favorite toy and brought it back to him. When he spoke to his brother in their language, Griffin looked at his mother.

The question was obvious to Lisa. She smiled her understanding and kissed the mole on his neck, then kissed his soft cheek before she put him down on the floor with his brother.

Lisa crawled over to Dani and snuggled in her lap. The large hands rubbing her back made her feel safe and grounded.

The atmosphere was subdued and all four of them remained fairly quiet. Even the babies knew that something was going on.

It was getting late so the family prepared for bed. After bathing the boys, their parents put them in bed with them. They all fell asleep feeling safe in the comfort of their closeness.

*******

JULY 23, 1991

It had been three weeks since Cory's attack. The woman was still in the hospital suffering from very severe injuries.

The District Attorney had informed them that when the woman was released from the hospital she would be formally charged.

The women still had their lives to live. Dani and Lisa had run separate ads in the newspapers. Dani's advertising the sell of the lots and the building of the homes.

Lisa announced the August opening of Kendrick daycare and prep school. She already had three employees and a few applications on file for when the school started filling-up. (She had every confidence that once word of mouth got out, that the school would be a success.)

Shirley had designed eight different model homes for the new community and there were still three left to build.

Dani was already seeing people that expressed an interest in purchasing the land home deal. Unfortunately, the deal never seemed to go through.

She was getting a little nervous, wondering if this was a sign of things to come. She just didn't understand. They would tour the homes, drive around the available spaces, be really excited and then . . . nothing.

Lisa was in one of the vacant offices talking to prospective clients for the daycare. She knew that Dani had a few showings that day, so she was surprised when she walked into the main office and saw a couple sitting across from the large desk.

When she entered the office, they gave her the oddest look. “Excuse me.” She walked over to the seated woman and opened one of the desk drawers. “I need a yellow high-lighter.”

When Lisa retrieved the marker she saw the couple standing to leave. “Please, don't let my interruption send you away.”

The man looked at her and then looked at the large picture behind the desk. He addressed Dani. “Is she the other woman in that picture?”

Dani looked at the picture and then looked at Lisa like she had never seen either one. “Yes, this is my wife Beth.”

Lisa stepped forward and extended her hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs . . . ?”

Neither one tried to shake Lisa's offered hand. The woman looked annoyed and the man looked angry. “We have no desire to buy from or live around your type.”

Lisa stepped back a little and Dani came to stand beside her. She was surprised at how calm she felt. “That's fine Mr. Benson, believe me, we don't want anyone living here that doesn't want to.”

“You two should be ashamed, not only living that way, but flaunting it by hanging that offensive portrait.”

Dani felt her patience eroding. She glared at the man, but kept her tone even. “Mr. Benson, I accept the fact that you don't want to live here, that's fine.”

She stepped a little closer. “But I will not tolerate you insulting my family, I have been nothing but respectful to you and I expect the same treatment in return.”

The man feeling properly chastised mumbled an apology, grabbed his wife by the hand and quickly left the office.

After they were gone Lisa looked up into stormy blue eyes. “Do you think that has been the problem so far?”

Dani shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe . . . probably.”

“What are we gonna do about it?”

The tall woman pulled her spouse closer to her. “Wait until people that have fewer prejudices come in and want to buy.”

The blonde woman thought about all of the land that they owned and thought to herself. ‘I hope they start coming in soon.'

*******

AUGUST 3, 1991

Dani and Lisa's backyard was full of family and friends. They were celebrating Lisa's thirtieth birthday early because the actual date was during the work week.

Gil had Evan in the pool, helping him float with his water wings on. Herman was doing the same with Griffin.

Ron and Stanley were also in the pool with their kids, Ron jr., Sarah and Davis.

Gil had been in town since May. He had even joined one of his daughter's construction teams as the lead carpenter.

He had announced that he was back home for good. He wanted to be around his parents, his children (Lisa was a second daughter to him) and his grandchildren.

When he showed-up at the new house and told the girls that he was home to stay and that he needed a job. Dani hugged him and told him to pick a site and start working.

Dani was standing at the grill flipping burgers with one hand and holding her wife close with the other. After the Cory incident, they didn't like to be apart for a long period of time.

Shirley approached the couple and bumped Lisa with her hip. “Hey, you two stuck together or something?”

Dani looked lovingly into green eyes and said. “Yeah, or something.”

The architect was only going to tease them a little. She knew why the couple couldn't bare to be apart.

“What's wrong, stud? You think if you let her get too far away, she might find a better prospect?”

Dani raised a dark brow and then zeroed in on her target. “I don't think that should be the topic. I think we need to discuss why your girlfriend looks so much like one of your best friends.”

Shirley opened her mouth to respond, then she closed it and looked over at Kat talking to Cynthia, Elaine and Jess and Teresa.

Kat was taller and more muscular than Cynthia, but they were both very attractive brunettes with shoulder length hair and light brown eyes.

Shirley mumbled under her breath. “What the hell is that about . . . I never even noticed that before.”

Dani continued. “Come on curly, tell us what really happened in the guest bedroom that night the two of you stayed over.”

Shirley blew out a breath. “Oh shut-up, Dani. You can be such an ass. You know that nothing happened that night.”

The tall woman hung the spatula on the hook in front of the grill. Then she pulled Lisa in front of her and wrapped her long arms around the smaller woman's waist and rested her chin on the smooth shoulder.

Then she spoke in a low sultry voice. “Come on sexy, you can tell us. Me and Beth got you all hot and bothered and you and Cynthia couldn't help yourselves, so you decided to have hot monkey sex.”

Shirley stood there in a daze, the dark woman's deep voice had almost hypnotized her. She shook her head to clear it and then glared at the electrician.

“Go to hell, Dani! After the two of you finally shut-up that night, we went to sleep.”

The curly-haired blonde turned on her heels and left the couple laughing at her frustration. “That wasn't nice, goofy.”

Dani kissed Lisa on the cheek. “I know. But it sure was fun.”

*******

It was seven o'clock and the out door festivities were still going on. Casnar and Heulyn had already excused themselves and were now in the guesthouse resting.

Gil was there with a date and was trying to figure out how to get her to stay in the guesthouse without his parents finding out.

Alice, Herman, Gil and his date Darlene were sitting in a circle talking like a group of high schoolers. Herman came-up with an idea.

“Wait until they're asleep and sneak her in then.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “Manny that won't work. At their age, they barely sleep as it is, they'll hear them.”

The large group of younger adults consisted of, Lisa, Dani, Shirley, Kat, Cynthia, Elaine, Lance and his date Becky,

Ron and Jess, Stan and Teresa and Doug and Patty, Kim and Tommy, and George and Barry.

They all sat quietly listening to the older people try and plot to get Dani's father's girlfriend into the guesthouse without his parents finding out,

Lisa was sitting on Dani's lap and Kim and Patty were holding the boys, while the other children played in the large yard. “Baby, can you believe what we are hearing?”

Dani ran her fingers through Lisa's hair. “Nope. This is crazy and a little back asswards.”

Then they heard Gil say. “Maybe we can stay in the main house with you and Alice.”

Dani snorted and Lisa giggled before she spoke-up. “Sorry dad, no unmarried couples are allowed to share a bed under our roof.”

Gil looked at Lisa with pleading blue eyes. “What about Lance and Becky?”

Dani took this one. “They aren't staying here.”

They heard Gil curse under his breath. That was the moment that Darlene decided to voice her idea. “Why don't I just climb through the window after you go in?”

That was it. The large group of young people doubled over laughing. The thought of a fifty-year old woman climbing through a bedroom window was hilarious.

The laughter was so contagious that even the babies joined in.

When they all calmed down Darlene looked at them in bewilderment. “I don't see what's so funny. I just climbed in the window of his parent's house two weeks ago.”

This time Alice and Herman had to join in the laughter. Gil just covered his face with his large hands. “Just what I need, my kid and her friends laughing at me trying to sneak a date in. My how the times have changed.”

*******

AUGUST 12, 1991

Lisa was standing in front of a crowded room. This was the first day and she was conducting an orientation. The sign-up for the daycare and pre-school had been over whelming.

The building had three floors, plus a lower-level. The daycare and pre-school were on the lower- level. Grades one and two would be on the first floor.

Grades three and four on the second floor and grades five and six on the third floor.

The daycare and pre-school classes were full and there had been several inquires about the upper grades.

“Okay, hello everyone. I'm Lisa Kendrick. This is the first day and I know that a few of you may be a little nervous about leaving your little ones.”

She looked around the room and spotted the unsettled parents immediately.

“Rest assured. Your children will be well cared for and as time goes on they will receive an education that will start them on the road to scholastic success. Does anyone have any questions?”

The room was filled with low murmurs. One of the mothers spoke-up. “Does anyone on the staff have any children here?”

The blonde teacher's face lit-up with a beautiful smile. “Yes. We all have our own children enrolled.”

Lisa excused herself to the next room. When she returned, she was greeted with oooh's and ahh's.

She guided two teetering eight month olds into the room. “These are my sons, Evan and Griffin.”

When Griffin heard his mother say his name he squealed and said loudly. “Mam!”

The parents all laughed. Lisa looked down at the little boy that followed her everywhere and smiled. “That's Griff.”

Griffin looked up at his mother with his oh so familiar blue eyes and said. “Ban!”

Lisa gazed around the room. “Please forgive me. It seems that I didn't introduce Griff's partner in crime. This little man is Evan.”

Lisa had released the boys and they were sitting on the floor at her feet. When Griff heard his brother's name he started clapping and yelling. “Ban! Ban! Ban!.”

Lisa's heart filled with love for her children. Griffin always made sure that Evan wasn't forgotten, because he tended to be reserved, much like Dani, you some times forgot that there were two of them.

If Griff was the voice, Evan was the protector, he always made sure that Griffin was safe. If his brother was feeling bad he would do what he could in their baby world to help.

The two of them were definitely two sides of the same coin.

*******

SEPTEMBER 5, 1991

Lisa was on her lunch break and was spending it with Dani in her office. The teacher usually left the school and shared her lunch hour with her spouse.

Dani was sitting behind her desk and Lisa was positioned on top of it in front of the electrician. Lisa was feeding her wife onion rings while two large hands rubbed up and down her firm thighs.

When a long finger tried to slip under the hem of her skirt, the blonde smacked it away. “Behave yourself or I won't feed you anymore.”

Dani blew-out a breath and stilled her hands on the softly muscled legs. “Can I get under your skirt later?”

Lisa gave Dani a sip of soda and laughed. “Yes goofy, I promise, you can work out all your perversions on me later.”

Momentarily satisfied, Dani had just scooted the leather chair further in between her wife's legs when they heard a knock on the open door.

Lisa jumped and tried to get-up, but Dani stopped her. “We have nothing to hide baby. They'll buy or they won't.”

The blonde cupped a strong jaw with her hand and smiled. “I love you.”

Dani looked around her seated partner and saw two men standing in the doorway. “Good afternoon. Can I help you gentlemen?”

The shorter of the two spoke. “Umm, it looks like we might be interrupting, so we can come back later, if this isn't a good time.

Dani pushed the chair away from the desk and let Lisa get down. “Now is fine. I was just having lunch with my wife.”

When the short blonde stood and turned around, both men's eyes went to the large picture on the wall. It was obvious that these were the two women in it.

Lisa moved forward to greet the men. “Hello, I'm Lisa and this is Dani.”

The tall woman came up behind her spouse and shook the men's hands.

Lisa turned and raised up on her toes to kiss Dani. “I gotta get back. I'll se you later.”

She smiled at the visitors and left the office. Dani never averted her eyes from the gentle sway of her wife's hips until she was out of sight.

The tall woman then turned her attention to the visitors, but before she could say anything Lisa yelled from the lobby. “I know you were looking, goofy!” And then she was gone.

The taller of the two men looked at Dani. “I guess she has your number.”

Dani smiled and directed the men to have a seat. “What can I do for you gentlemen?”

John, the shorter of the two men looked at the other man, Randy and then turned back to Dani. “We heard that there was a new gay community being built and we wanted to look around and maybe purchase a home here.

*******

Casnar and Heulyn were visiting and staying in the guesthouse. They insisted that the boys spend the night with them.

Evan and Griffin were very attached to all of their extended family. All three of their grandparents and both of their great-grand parents were constantly around.

Dani and Lisa used this rare time of being alone to soak together in the large tub. They were sitting on opposite ends facing each other, playing footsie, while the setting sun cast a warm glow through the large window over the tub..

“Beth it was the most amazing thing. John and Randy had heard through word of mouth that there was a gay couple building homes for gay and gay friendly home buyers.”

Lisa raised a fair brow. “Where on earth did they get that impression?”

“Well, it seems that every person that left when they realized that we were a couple, started talking. After a few months, word of mouth had spread to the gay community, and now they are interested.”

Lisa slid a little closer to her tall mate. “How do you feel about this?”

A flash of white teeth presented themselves. “It couldn't be better if I had planned it.”

The blonde was now crawling up long legs and spreading them apart so that she could sit in between them. “What do you mean?”

Dani wrapped her partner in her arms and pulled her soft back closer to her larger body. “Imagine it Beth, a place where you can live and feel safe and not have to hide who you are because your next door neighbor might be a homophobe.”

First, Lisa settled further into the powerful body behind her, then she changed positions and turned to straddled the powerful thighs. She leaned in and kissed the full lips in front of her.

“You mean a place where we can do that and not be stared at?”

Dani pulled her closer and then leaned back a little. “I mean a place just like that. I seem to remember you promising me earlier that if I waited I could do things to you.”

Lisa ran her fingers up the back of the dark head that she was caressing and then started to massage the base of her partner's neck. “And are you ready to make me fulfill that promise?”

Large hands wondered down the slick back that they rested on, and the tall woman whispered. “Yes.”

She leaned in and captured her partner's moist lips, while her hands moved from her back to her ribs. Then long fingers moved up and stroked the full breast that they found.

Lisa readjusted and planted her knees on the bottom of the tub and sat up. The repositioning placed her breast near Dani's lips.

A hot mouth immediately covered the soft mound that were placed in front of it, and a wet tongue circled the pink tip. When the dark woman sucked the soft skin into her mouth, Lisa moaned in pleasure.

Dani's hands moved under the water and cupped the smooth rear that they found and pulled the smaller body closer.

Lisa's arms were wrapped around the dark head and her lower body was stroking the firm stomach that it was pressed against.

She was starting to pant and told her partner that she needed more. Dani moved one hand around and started to run her fingers through wet blonde curls.

She played in the damp hairs and occasionally let her long fingers drop to rub across Lisa's swollen nub. The gentle teasing made the teacher moan louder.

When Dani switched breast, Lisa looked down and watched her partner lick and suck her flushed mounds into her mouth. The sight made her pull her wife's head tighter to her chest.

Dani felt the need building in her mate and started running her fingers through the blonde woman's folds. When she felt Lisa try and make more contact, she entered her with two long fingers.

The smaller woman groaned. “Oh God!” And started thrusting her hips down on the strong hand faster.

Dani rested her arm across the trim waist and started kissing her way up to Lisa's soft lips. When she reached her goal, her tongue penetrated her spouse's warm mouth with the same rhythm as her finger's moving in and out of her warm center.

When Dani felt the silky walls start to contract, she knew that Lisa was close. The blonde woman changed positions and moved one of her knees between the longer legs, so that she was straddling one thigh.

When she felt the large palm make firm contact with her sensitive bundle, she moved her hand down and entered her spouse.

Dani tore her mouth away from the steamy kiss and sighed. “Oh Beth . . . that feels so good.”

All Lisa could do was pump her hips and hand faster. When their passion rose higher, they went over. Both women stilled their movements and moaned, then they ground down deep and slow onto the fingers that were in them, creating small waves in the water.

When the tremors stopped, all they could do was gasp for air.

Lisa recovered first and felt hot tears running down her cheeks. She buried her face in Dani's damp neck. “I love you baby.”

They got out of the tub and dried themselves off. They settled into the warmth of their bed and fell into a peaceful sleep.

For the rest of their lives, it would always be this way.

*******

APRIL 18, 1992

Lisa and Alice sat on the back patio watching Dani and the boys chase the two German shepherd puppies that she got them for Christmas.

Occasionally the two women would hear the boys yell. “Dog . . . dog!”

Alice eyed her daughter over the lip of the glass she was drinking out of. Her eyes roamed over her and then settled on the slight bulge that was her daughter's stomach.

“Are you ready for three kids under three?”

The blonde teacher leaned back in her seat and stretched. “Yep, It's what we planned from the very beginning.”

“So . . . come September, you guys will be changing three dirty diapers and feeding three hungry stomachs?”

“You are about to pass Ron and Stan ya know?”

“I didn't know that it was a competition.”

Alice reached over and patted her daughter's hand. “You're a little grumpy this time, huh?”

Lisa smiled a little. “Not all of the time, just some times.”

When the women heard the rich laughter of the tall woman they looked in her direction. The scene that greeted them brought smiles to their faces.

Dani was on her back with the boys and the puppies trying to cover her long body.

Alice leaned on the table and rested her chin in her palm. “You know, four years ago I would have never dreamed that you would have all of this.”

Lisa focused on her family and basked in the warmth that the picture filled her with. “Neither did I mom. She has made every dream that I've ever had come true.”

Her green eyes never left the sight of her family coming towards her. Dani had a child under each arm, carrying them like packages.

She had to stop every few steps so that she wouldn't step on one of the dogs.

When she reached the flagstone of the patio, she put the kids down and watched them run to their grandmother with every intention of jumping into her lap.

They were both screaming as they approached her. “Gamma!”

Alice turned in her seat so that she could pick them up. “Come here my little soldiers.”

Dani sat down beside her pregnant spouse and draped her arm across the back of the chair she was sitting in. With out her having to ask, Lisa handed the tall woman her drink.

After sipping the juice, Dani returned the glass. “Thanks baby.”

Evan had worked his way out of his grandmother's lap and was now trying to pull on one of the dogs tail.

Dani stopped him. “No Evan. Remember, don't ouchie the dog.”

The dark haired boy stopped his hand and changed directions so that he could pat the animal's side.”

“Very good.” Dani turned her attention back to her wife. “You know Beth, we sold five more properties this week.”

Lisa scooted closer to her partner and pulled the long arms around her shoulders. “Wow, I can't believe how fast they're selling.”

She rested her blonde head on Dani's broad shoulder. “ It is so funny how this project has taken on a life of it's own.”

“Yeah. Who knew, we would become the rulers of a gay community?”

For a split second, something chimed in the back of their minds and then it was gone.

Lisa laughed softly and looked into bright blue eyes. “Have you ever been with Shirley when she drives by the sign near the office that reads, ‘KENDRICK HOMES designed by Shirley Douglas.'

Before Dani could answer, Alice spoke. “I have. I swear that girl gets a natural high from just looking at it.”

“If we continue to sell her designs like we are now, she'll be able to quit her job and open her own offices.”

Lisa wrapped her arms around her mate's waist. “You think so?”

“Yes, I do. Between the news spreading about her skills and the percentage that we're paying her, I wouldn't be surprised if she went out on her own sometime this summer.”

“That would be so fantastic. I want all of our friends to benefit from all of this.”

Dani stood-up to take the boys inside and bathe them. “You know Beth, I think before all of this is over with, there's gonna be a whole lot of people benefiting.”

*******

Six years later

DECEMBER 31, 1998

“Evan . . . give me back my crayons or I'm tellin' mam!”

The dark haired boy walked over to the little girl and handed her the colorful sticks. “Here, you are such a tattletale Anna.”

The little girl stuck out her tongue and went back to coloring in her book.

Branwen Rhiannon Kendrick was born September eighteenth nineteen-ninety-two. Her name means raven queen, and the fact that she was the only girl helped reinforce that attitude.

She was six-years old with long chestnut hair that showed blonde highlights when the sun hit it. Her eyes were a lovely blue-green and when she smiled, the side of her nose crinkled like her mothers.

As the little girl picked out a yellow crayon to color the sun, Lisa entered the family room with a small blonde boy following her.

“Hey, little bit, whatcha doing?”

The brunette looked at her mom with eyes filled with love. Between her and Griffin Lisa was never lacking for attention.

“Hi mam, I was just coloring a picture to put in mom's office.”

Lisa leaned over and saw how her daughter was coloring slowly so that she could stay in the lines.

“It looks good kiddo. I know your mom will love it.”

The little boy that was standing beside her was patting her on her pants leg. “Mam, can I have some popcorn . . . please.”

Lisa looked down at the little blonde boy debating whether or not she was going to microwave a treat for him. When he looked at her with pleading green eyes, she walked into the kitchenette and put in a bag.

Four-year old Tristan Wynn Kendrick was born October fifteenth nineteen-ninety four. His name meant, fair, and noisy one.

When he was born he had a head full of pale hair, so Dani named him Wynn. And he screamed at the top of his lungs non-stop, so Lisa named him Tristan. But they all called him Stan.

As dark as his older brothers were, was as light as he was. The little blonde was the spitting image of Lisa. From the hair color, to the tint of his eyes, even a few of his hand gestures mimicked the teacher.

Lisa poured the popcorn into a bowl and placed it on a low table. Be careful Stan, this is still hot. Before the little boy could get his first handful, eight-year old Griffin slid into the room in his socks.

“Do I smell popcorn?”

Stan pulled the bowl closer to him and covered it with his arms. “Mine.”

Lisa slid her tongue across Dani's lips and then deepened it. When she pulled back she saw that her mate's eyes were burning with passion.

Dani pulled her wife's sweatshirt off and then rolled her over. “Come on, let's see if two old broads have enough stamina to go a few rounds?”

Lisa gave in to her desire and found out that thirty-seven wasn't old at all.

*******

The house was filled with music, laughter and warmth. Dani and Lisa were sitting on a chair that they had specially made for them.

It was larger than a chair, but smaller than a love seat. The craftsman had even taken their measurements to ensure that it was a perfect fit for only them.

They looked around their home and smiled. All of their friends and family were there. Over the years new additions had been added.

Shirley and Kat had a two-year old little girl named Jamie. Cynthia and Elaine had a five-month old that they named Diana and even Lance had come aboard.

He married Becky four years ago and they now had a one-year old little boy named Mason.

Dani hadn't spoken to her mother since she the day she had barged into their home eight years ago and voiced her sorrow for their unborn children.

Through conversations with Lance she knew that her mother couldn't seem to stop giving unwanted parenting skills to Lance and his wife.

Lance told her that their mother still went off on a tangent when she thought about her and Lisa raising four children together.

And it seemed that Chloe was a permanent fixture at home. The judgmental little troll couldn't find anyone to meet her standards, so at twenty-eight, she was still living under her parent's roof.

When her eyes fell on her grandparents, a rush of gratefulness rolled through her. At seventy-eight, Casnar and Heulyn were still pretty spry, but their bodies were starting to show the affects of time.

The older couple had finally agreed to move into the guesthouse permanently five years ago and Dani and Lisa were very relieved.

Dani leaned closer to her wife and kissed her cheek. “Baby, look at pop.”

Green eyes turned in her father-in-laws direction and she stifled a laugh.

Gil was still a very handsome man. At fifty-nine, he was still going out with the crews doing carpentry work, but at the moment, he was sitting across the room in a chair wearing a pointy party hat, entertaining his grandchildren.

It was nearly midnight, but Dani and Lisa always let the children stay-up until after the countdown on New Years eve.

The eight-foot tall Christmas tree was still up and the lights on it were twinkling, sending out a warm glow to the area where it was located.

Shirley looked at her watch and turned the sound up on the television. “Everybody get a glass, it's almost midnight.”

Lisa removed herself from her wife's embrace and went to pour the bubbly fluid into the thin glasses. The last thing that she did before handing out the champagne, was fill plastic wine glasses with white grape juice for the kids.

The large group gathered around the television and did the countdown with the announcer. “Five . . . Four . . . Three . . . Two . . . One!!! Happy New Year!!!”

They all shared kisses and sang Auld Lang Syne. When everyone settled down the four Kendrick children approached their parents.

Lisa and Dani looked at their children with curiosity.

Anna pushed Evan forward. ”Go ahead, ask her Ev.”

Evan cleared his throat and spoke-up” Mom ,we were wondering if you would tell the story of us.”

Dani didn't answer right away, the telling of the story was always done by Heulyn. “Kids you know that Nain always tells the story.”

She looked over at her grandmother and saw her nod her head in a gesture that was plain to see, she was passing on the torch to her granddaughter.

Dani felt her eyes well-up at the implication, she was suddenly struck by the thought of her grandmother not being around to tell their story any more, and was filled with grief, but she held herself together and turned back to the children.

“Okay you munchkins, gather round.” The children as well as the adults, even the two German shepherds, Artemis and Athena curled-up on the warm floor, they were all silent . . . waiting for the story to start.

Dani reached over and ruffled the boy's blonde hair. “That's right Stan. We are Celts, and we come from

Gaul.

We were a culture that developed in mainland Europe near France, which was called Gaul around the first

century.

We spoke Gaelic and had a very unique culture. The Celts usually went to war naked and unlike most

cultures, women were allowed to fight.

We developed the bagpipe, and it was used in war to inspire the soldiers.

The religion we practiced was called Druidism. Our spiritual leaders were called Druids and they practiced

not only spiritually, but were very learned in astronomy, mathematics, magic, philosophy, and law.”

Dani looked into eyes that were wide with anticipation. The story always held their interest. She pulled Lisa

closer and continued.

“During the peak of the Roman civilization, Julius Caesar took over Gaul, and the Celts migrated to the nearby island, the island of Britain.

The Celts settled all over Britain, but were mostly pushed into three areas: what today is Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.

Our ancestors, the Kendricks, settled in what is now called Deganwy in northern Wales. It is near the Walled Town of Conway and the Great Orme Mines .

Our name originally was Cynwrig. (kinrig) We can go back over one hundred years in our line, starting with Hier and Annwyl, who I was named for.

Then their son, Llewelyn and his wife Gwinnett, after them came, Awbrey and Fennah.

Their son was Casnar. He and his wife Heulyn, had one child, his name is.”

She paused and looked at her father. “Gildas.”

During this part of the story no one ever said anything about the fact that Marilyn was always left out of the

telling.

Your great-grandparents, Casnar and Heulyn lived in Deganwy their entire lives until they decided to move to the United States so that your Taid could be born here. That was nineteen thirty-eight.

Pop was born six months after they arrived, on May first nineteen thirty-nine. When your Taid grew into a man, he got married and had a baby.

That baby was me. When I grew-up I got married to your Mam and then we had four little trouble makers named Evan, Griffin, Anna, and Stan.”

She looked into the faces of their children, and she saw the future. “And one day, all four of you will tell the tale to your own children and grandchildren.”

Then she paused for a second. “That is if anyone will have ya.”

All four of the children gave their mother a perfectly synchronized raspberry. Dani looked at Lisa and rolled her eyes.

“They're yours, every last one of them. You gave birth to them, so they're all yours.”

Lisa rubbed the broad back that her hand rested on. “I think you hand something to do with that goofy.”

Dark brows wiggled lecherously. “What do ya say we try to make another one?”

Lisa leaned in and kissed her wife's moist lips. “Don't you ever get enough?”

Dani pulled back and looked at her wife with total devotion. “Of you Beth . . . Never.”

*******

JUNE 19, 1999

Lisa and Dani took the kids to Largo every other weekend so that they could visit their grandparents.

Today, after their visit, all four of them begged their parents to stop at Watkins' park so that they could ride the train.

If you twisted her arm, Lisa would admit that going to the park and riding the train, was one of her favorite memories growing-up.

At the moment Dani had Evan and Anna on the train. After two rides, Griffin and Stan stayed with their Mam, because they knew that she was going to go to the stand and by a cone.

And the little opportunist didn't want to miss out. The three of them were walking back to the train depot, when someone called Lisa's name.

When Lisa turned around, she was shocked to see her ex-husband, Carl coming towards her, with what looked like an eleven or twelve year old girl.

Carl had never been a tall man, but after spending so many years with Dani, he looked almost elf like.

As Carl approached his former spouse, he was shocked by the tremor of anger he felt at seeing a small blonde boy that was obviously Lisa's.

When he reached the blonde woman, they stood in an awkward silence. Griffin felt the tension between the stranger and his mother and moved closer to her.

“Mam, pwy is hwnnw dyn?” (who is that man)

Lisa looked down at her son and smiled.. “Neb, Griff.” (nobody, Griff)

The boy relaxed a little, but stayed close to his mother.

Carl was confused, he didn't know that Lisa spoke another language, and he was curious as to who this very handsome little dark-haired boy was.

He had heard through the grapevine years ago, that Lisa was involved with a woman, but from the looks of the child with green eyes so much like her's, he thought the rumor must be untrue.

“So, Lisa, how have you been?”

She pasted a tolerant smile on her face and answered. “I'm doing well Carl, how about yourself?”

He looked the woman up and down, thinking how good she looked. His marriage to his second wife had only lasted two years.

After she gave birth to their second daughter, she found the whole experience, boring, and left him to raise the two girls alone.

Now here stood Lisa looking happy and fit, with a son. Before he could stop himself, he lashed-out verbally.

“Well, I see that you didn't have a problem pushing out a baby for the new man in your life.”

Lisa was momentarily stunned, and then the anger came. “That's where you're wrong, Carl.”

Her green eyes glinted with fury. ‘How dare this man accuse me of anything. Who in the hell does he think he is.'

Her features became smug. “You're facts aren't straight, I have pushed out four babies, there are two more.”

His face showed his shock. “This one is your's too?”

As she was about to answer, she felt a warmth wash over her, and she knew that Dani was near.

The tall woman came-up behind her wife, with Anna in her arms and Evan by her side.

Evan and his mother sensed trouble and they both took a defensive stance.

Dani draped an arm over Lisa's shoulder and glared at the short man.

Carl had noticed the tall woman's approach, but ignored her, thinking that she would pass them by. When she stopped and held Lisa close, he really took the time to pay attention to what was in front of him.

The two older boys were a miniature version of the dark woman, the little girl looked like she belonged to both of them, and then there was the youngest child that was all Lisa.

His brain was rapidly trying to process the information. ‘Didn't Lisa say that she had given birth to four children?'

‘But the children looked like the other woman.' His mental ramblings were interrupted by Lisa's voice. He quieted his thoughts, so that he could hear her.

“Carl, this is my wife Dani Kendrick.”

Dani didn't attempt to shake the man's hand, she just stood there, mentally evaluating him. ‘So, this was the ass that cheated on Beth.'

She pulled the teacher closer and looked at her. “Is everything okay, Beth?”

Carl's brain was exploding. ‘Did she just say her wife?' What the hell is going on here?'

His dark eyes flashed with anger. “You can't have one child for me, but you have four for a woman?”

Dani took a step towards the man. The corner of her mouth raised a little when she saw the three boys do the same.

The boys were very protective of their Mam, no one, not even Dani was allowed to upset the small blonde.

In the middle of his rant he stopped cold. “Did you say Dani Kendrick?”

“Yes, why?”

His whole demeanor changed.. “And did she call you Beth?”

Lisa thought the man must be having a stroke. “Again, yes.”

The man's face broke out in a wide smile as if it hadn't just been flushed with anger. “So, I guess that means that you are Dani and Beth Kendrick. Owner's of Kendrick Homes, Kendrick construction, and Kendrick preparatory school?”

Both women wondered where the man was going, and wished that he would hurry-up and get there.

Dani practically growled. “Yes, what's your point?”

The short man took Dani by surprise when he grabbed her hand and started pumping it with enthusiasm.

“My firm has been trying to get a hold of your portfolio for years.”

Then he looked at Lisa. “And my kids have been on the waiting list for your school for I don't know how long, we thought we had a chance when you opened one down here, but the roll was full before they got to my daughter's names.”

Lisa's mouth was hanging open in shock. The man had made a complete turn around, from venting his anger to practically kissing her ass.”

They wanted to be a way from the man as quickly as possible. “Look Carl, we need to get back home . . . ”

He cut her off and started gushing again. “Yes, that's right, the two of you pretty much own one of fastest growing communities on the east coast.

The buzz is that, because of the growing population, the median income and the commitment of the residence, that the community will become incorporated in the next few years and become a full fledged town.

Dani didn't give the man any indication of whether or not he was right or wrong. This was something that she and Lisa had discussed at length.

It was indeed a fact that in the very near future they were going to petition the state to become incorporated, so that they could become a self governing town.

Lisa didn't know it, but Dani had already decided on a name, their community was going to be called Elizabeth Town.

Lisa grabbed Stan and Griffin's hands, and started to walk away. After going only a few steps, she heard Carl call her again.

She turned to face him. “What Carl, we're in a hurry.”

He had the good sense to at least look contrite. “Umm, I was wondering if you could use your influence and get my girls into your school?”

He hurried on before she could answer. “It's a well known fact that having Kendrick Prep on your college application is a huge plus. And because it's just the girls and me . . . I kinda want them to get a head start in life.”

His raw honesty cut through her irritation. She gave him a card with her office number and address, and told him to send her the girl's information and she would make the arrangements.

As they walked away, Dani tightened her hold on the smaller woman and kissed the top of her head. “Beth, you are a very special woman.”

She leaned further into her partner's tall body. “It wouldn't be fair for me to take my anger towards Carl out on those girls.”

Then a smile creased her face. “Besides, it feels kinda good that he is so impressed with us.”

She bumped her wife with her hip. “I guess I didn't do too bad for myself.”

Dani looked at their children walking in front of them, and noticed how they would occasionally push each other and then run away.

The only thought that filled her mind was. ‘I'm the one that didn't do too bad.”

*******

AUGUST 14, 1999

It had been a long time since the three friends had hung out together, just the three of them, well except for little Diana.

At fourteen months, she was still a little small to go out on the boat with the others, so Cynthia kept her while Elaine went with Dani, Kat and the older children out on the boat to fish.

The years had been very good to the friends. It had taken a while for them to make the decision, but eventually the other women moved into the new community.

Shirley's architectural firm had taken off immediately and she opened her office on the main street, not too far from Dani's.

When Kat did a job search of the local high schools, she found that a couple were in need of a gym teacher slash coach. So they had made the move four years ago.

Cynthia and Elaine were fairly new arrivals, They relocated two years previous. Elaine worked at the county hospital and Cynthia was looking into starting a local paper for the community.

As the years would go by, the community would become a town and with that, there would be a massive growth. Cynthia's local paper would become so popular because of its content, that it would start to be distributed outside of Elizabeth Town.

Elaine would open The Westman Clinic and specialize in women's health and fertility. Because of the large number of gay residence, the area specializing in fertility would be very busy.

And Shirley's firm would gain national recognition when she designed an energy efficient, environmentally safe home for a very famous environmentalist.

But, all of that was in the future. Right now, today, they were three best friends relaxing in a backyard, soaking up the sun and the atmosphere.

Shirley sipped her cold beverage and looked at her friend with wonder. “You know what, Lisa?”

The educator removed her sunglasses and focused her green eyes on her friend. “What?”

The night that you met Danielle Annwyl Kendrick, didn't only change your life, it changed ours.”

Lisa raised her brow in question, but before she could say anything, Cynthia jumped in.

“Yeah, it's like when the two of you came together, it changed reality somehow. Well, at least ours.”

Lisa was confused. “What are you guys talking about?”

Shirley sighed. “Look around you, because of the love that the two of you have for each other, there is an entire community where gay and gay friendly people can live happily.”

Cynthia agreed. “And not only that, because of you guys, there are jobs and income opportunities for people that would have other wise been shunned or abused.”

“Not to mention the fact that I now own a very successful business because you wanted me to design those first homes.”

The writer added. “Because you two wanted to start a family, I finally met 'the one'.”

Cynthia blushed. “Elaine is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

She looked at their little girl playing on one of the many pieces of playground equipment that the Kendrick children had and smiled.

In a way, you and Dani are the reason that Diana is here.”

Lisa raised her hand to silence her friends. I think that you two are giving us more credit then you should.”

She rubbed the bridge of her nose with her fingers. “I mean look at what happened to poor Freda because Dani and I got together.”

Both Shirley and Cynthia exhaled. “How many times are we going to have to tell you that you had nothing to do with that?”

Cynthia leaned over and held Lisa's hand. “She is in a psychiatric hospital receiving the best possible care.”

They all thought about how Freda had to be committed to a hospital six years ago after she suffered a complete psychotic breakdown.

**

Her obsession with the couple was so deep seeded, that she tried to kidnapped two small boys that, although not related to each other looked enough like the Kendrick twins that in her mind they were.

When the children's parents tried to prevent her from leaving the park with their children, Freda snapped and pulled out a gun.

She paid no attention to the fact that she was terrifying the now crying boys, instead she held them tight and backed away from the growing crowd.

There was an off duty female cop in the park with her child, so when she saw what was happening, she ran to her car and radioed in the events that were unfolding.

When the cop returned, she saw that Freda was going to leave the area before her back-up could arrive, so she made a decision.

She approached Freda from behind slowly. The other parents saw her and tried to keep the crazy woman focused on them.

When the cop was close enough to touch Freda she yelled in hopes of startling her, making her loosen her grip on the children.

It worked and the officer took Freda down. The woman didn't submit easily. She injured the cop and suffered a few broken bones of her own.

From that day until this one, Freda insists that her children were stolen from here and she would never get them back . . . her break with reality was complete.

**

Shirley wiped a single tear from her eye. “You know what's sad, because of what her father put her through as a child, it was sort of true . . . her children had be stolen from her and they were never coming back.”

*******

NOVEMBER 10, 1999

Lisa and Dani were sitting in the cafeteria, located in the new addition of the school, having lunch. As they ate, a few of the students stopped by to say hello to the most famous residence of their community.

They were sitting at the table making plans for their anniversary celebration the next day, when a small hand snaked around Dani's back and swiped her juice.

Before the thief could get away with the goods, Dani reached behind her and pulled Anna into her lap. “You gotta be faster than that, little bit.”

Then she started tickling the little girl's stomach. Between giggles she breathed out. “Okay, mom, you win.”

Dani sat her back on the floor and let her sip the juice. “What are you doing here, mom?”

The developer tried to look innocent. “Can't a person just show-up to have a nice lunch with their wife?”

Anna rolled her eyes. “Yes, but that's not why you're here.”

Dani raised a brow. “How can you be so sure.”

Anna grabbed a cookie from Lisa's tray and ran. “Because you only come on onion ring day!”

Both parents laughed at their daughter's retreating back. “Lisa looked into her spouse's blue eyes as she took a bite of her burger.

“You know she's right. I know without a shadow of a doubt, that you will show-up every Friday for lunch.”

Dani stretched her long legs under the table, and smiled. “Come on, Beth, you know that's why you made Friday onion ring-sub day. It was a total set-up to get me here.”

Green eyes twinkled when the blonde woman smiled. “You got that right. Being able to see you for a few minutes in the middle of the day was an excellent motivator to have some input on the menu choices.

Dark brows wiggled. “We have had some veeery interesting middle of the day meetings over the years.”

The blonde woman blushed into her scalp and smacked her wife's hand. “Stop that, Dani, we are in the school.”

Dani raised her hand to her chest as if she were clutching her heart. “Well, well, well, I seem to remember that just before this little school house of your's was opened, you didn't have a problem, not only talking about certain things here, but doing them.”

Lisa's eyes went wide with shock and she started looking around to see if anyone was in hearing distance.

She threw a wadded-up napkin at her spouse as the blue-eyed woman laughed. “I'll get you, Dani Kendrick, you just wait until I get you home.”

Dani laughed even harder. “Is that supposed to be a threat?”

Lisa exhaled and threw her hands up in defeat. “Okay, goofy, let's get these plans together. Are we going out or staying in?”

Dani looked across the table into the lush green eyes that held all that she was. She was sometimes amazed that she still loved Lisa with the same intensity that she did from the beginning.

Then she mentally corrected herself. ‘That's not true. I love her more than ever, it just seems to grow more and more intense.'

Lisa saw her mate disappear in thought and reached out to her mentally. The slow smile that brightened her features sent a warmth through Dani'

Lisa grabbed her spouse's large hand in both of hers and squeezed. “You have to know that I love you just as much sweetheart.”

Dani felt her eyes sting, the moment was too intense and she needed to change the subject.

“Whatda ya say we order out, buy a bottle of bubbly and lock ourselves in the bedroom?”

Lisa rested her chin on her palm. “And what do you suggest we do with the kids?”

Dani stood and placed Lisa's tray on top of her own before she turned to leave. “I suggest they go visit their great-grandparents.”

The teacher sat at the table alone. “Not a bad idea, goofy. Not bad at all.”

*******

JANUARY 7, 2000

Dani was sitting at her desk, when the receptionist buzzed her. “Ms. Kendrick there is a gentleman here to see you.”

The developer told her to send him in. There was a knock at the door and Dani invited the man in.

He was of non-descriptive looks and didn't carry the persona of someone looking to buy.

She stood and came around the desk. “Can I help you?”

The man looked her up and down before he spoke. “Are you Danielle Kendrick?”

Dani tilted head to the side. “Yes.”

He pulled an envelope from his pocket and said. “You have been served.”

After she accepted the yellow envelope, he made a hasty retreat.

Dani looked at his back in bewilderment and turned her attention to his delivery.

She opened it and when she was half way through the document, she threw it down on her desk and cursed.

“That fucking bitch!”

She picked-up the phone and dialed Lisa's office number. After the fourth ring, her wife picked-up.

“Hello, this is Lisa Kendrick.”

Dani didn't bother with a greeting. “Beth, I was just served with papers!”

Lisa heard the anxiety laced with anger in her partner's voice. “What kind of papers sweetheart?”

Dani took in a deep breath to calm herself before she answered. “I was just served with papers, stating that my mother is petitioning the court for custody of Evan and Griffin on the grounds of them living under unnatural conditions.

“Lisa was at a lost for words. “What!”

“According to the documents, she is filing under the assumption that her grandchildren are being raised in a perverse and unhealthy environment, that's not conducive to a normal upbringing.”

The small blonde was beyond angry. “What the hell is her problem, we don't hear from her for nearly ten years, and when we do she is trying to take our children away!”

Some of Dani's anger subsided in light of her spouse's escalating rage.

“Okay, the first thing we need to do is call Bernie and have him put us in touch with a lawyer that specializes in family law.”

Lisa took slow breaths, trying to calm herself. “You're right. baby, but I need you to know that I'm wishing very bad things for your mother right now.”

The tall woman snorted. “You and me both.”

She finished her call and hung-up. Then she grabbed her coat from the closet and left her office with one thing on her mind. ‘I'm gonna bury her.'

*******

After several weeks of meeting with their lawyer Martin Connor , the couple had been reassured that their years of commitment as a couple, and their financial status would ensure them an easy victory.

On this particular day they were sitting in Martin's office waiting for him to tell them why they were there.

He sat behind his desk and rifled through a stack of papers, when he found what he was looking for, he addressed then.

“Ladies, I'm afraid that you and all four of your children are going to have to submit to DNA testing.”

Dani spoke first. “What! Why?”

“First, because Lisa gave birth to all of the children, and if we test them all at once the results will be on record in case something like this should come-up in the future.

In the case of the boys, Lisa gave birth, but you are the biological parent. The court insists on these test to prove whether or not Marilyn has a legitimate claim to them.”

Dani tensed-up and was ready to pounce. Lisa placed a calming hand on her forearm and addressed the lawyer.

“How soon can you set that up?”

Martin relaxed, happy that the pleasant blonde had taken over.

Are you both available tomorrow morning?”

Lisa looked at Dani and then back to the lawyer. “Yes, what time?”

Martin gave them the time and location and after a few more minutes of talking strategy, escorted them out of the office.

*******

MARCH 13, 2000

Lisa and Dani had submitted their samples and all four kids weeks before, and still hadn't heard anything.

The educator was sitting in her office going over new applications when the phone rang.

“This is Lisa Kendrick, may I help you?”

“Yes, Mrs. Kendrick, this is Donald, from Diametric Labs. We were wondering if you and Ms. Danielle Kendrick could come in and meet with our department head, concerning your DNA test.”

Lisa's heart started to pound loudly. “Why, is there a problem?”

“No ma'am, my supervisor would just like to discuss the findings with you and Ms. Kendrick in person. What would be a convenient time for the both of you?”

Lisa looked at her watch. “How about thirty minutes?”

“He'll be waiting.”

*******

Both women sat nervously waiting for the department head to enter his office, when he finally did they were sitting on the edge of their chairs.

“Ladies, I know that you are both very anxious, but before we precede I need to ask you a few questions.”

Dani felt like she wanted to strangle the man, but used her strong will to bring forth some patience instead.

“First, is it true that Lisa Kendrick gave physical birth to the children in question?”

Both women answered yes. The man cleared his throat and continued.

“Is there any way possible that the two of you are related in any way?”

The women were in shock. Lisa responded first. “No, why?”

The man ran his hand across his forehead before he spoke. “Well, it seems that all four of the children carry strands of DNA from both of you.”

Lisa and Dani sat in shocked silence.

The man pressed on. “I don't know how it is possible, but scientifically speaking, both of you are the parents of all four of them.”

When he saw that the women were not going to say anything, he continued. “In all my years, I've never seen anything like this.

We ran the test several times, we even sent samples out to other labs, and each and every time, the results were the same.”

He closed the file in front of him. “It is a biological impossibility, but the test prove that the two of you have done the impossible . . . you have produced offspring.”

*******

The women laid wrapped together in each other's arms, each lost in her own thoughts.

Finally Dani broke the silence. “Beth . . . what in the hell happened to us on our honeymoon?”

Lisa buried her face deeper into Dani's neck. “I'm not sure, but I think we went through some kind of transformation.

I mean, the foundation was already there. Almost from the very beginning, we felt each others intense emotions, then that graduated to us being able to communicate almost telepathically.”

Dani ran her long fingers down Lisa's soft thigh. “I know, but as crazy as it sounds, I took those things for granted almost.

But this, this is world changing, we have kids that are a product of both of us.”

Lisa changed her position and laid her body on top of Dani's. “Aren't you the one that believes in magic?”

Strong hands slid up and down Lisa's bare back. “Yes, I am.”

“Then you have to know that after all of these years you have made me a believer too. I think on some level I knew it when I saw those hairs in the boy's heads.”

Dani opened her long legs and let Lisa slip in between them. “Me too. Those hairs were so out of place, it to be from you.”

Lisa leaned in and captured waiting lips. When she broke the kiss, she whispered, let's see if we can discover any more new changes.

They spent the rest of the night exploring the other areas of their connection.

*******

APRIL 5, 2000

Lisa was sitting on a bench outside of the courtroom watching Dani pace back and forth.

The tall woman plopped down next to her wife and started tapping her foot.

Lisa rubbed her back in soothing circles. Just as she was about to say something, they both looked-up at the sound of heels clicking on the tile floor.

When they saw Marilyn walking towards them with her lawyer, Lisa had to clamp down hard on Dani's forearm to stop her from getting-up lunging at the woman.

She lowered her voice and spoke firmly to her spouse. “Don't, it will not do us any good to cause a scene in the hallway.”

It took all of her strength to do it, but the developer calmed herself down enough to lean back against the wall.

Lisa patted her thigh and leaned closer, hoping that the body contact would keep her in place.

The only problem with Lisa's plan, was that she didn't factor in Marilyn. The older woman approached the seated women and stood there looking down on them.

“It appears that money has done nothing for you Danielle, you still dress like a peasant.”

After a ten year separation, the first thing out of the older woman's mouth was an insult, all Lisa could think was. 'Unbelievable.'

Dani looked down at her basic black suit that she purchased from Sears and then back to her mother.

“You know what your problem is mam, you're jealous that I can dress this way by choice, not necessity.”

The angry woman glared at her daughter. “Money is wasted on you. I'll never understand how people that don't have the sophistication or bearing can end-up wealthy, while those of us more deserving have to struggle.”

Dani and Lisa looked at the woman in quiet amusement. After the initial tension the two women relaxed and stared at the obnoxious woman.

“The two of you are no better than those over paid entertainers and athletes.”

It surprised the couple when Marilyn seemed to forget that they were there, and started to speak, as if to herself.

“If I had a fourth of the money that you two have, I could do tremendous things.”

Something clicked in Lisa's brain and her movement was so fast, that Dani didn't have time to stop her. The blonde was in the other woman's face and looked like she was about to strike her.

Dani sprung-up, and grabbed her wife by the biceps. “Beth, what are you doing?”

It was as if Lisa didn't hear her, she was focused on the frightened woman in front of her. When she spoke to the woman, she didn't ask a question, she stated a fact.

“You fucking Bitch! You are here trying to take our children in hopes that a huge bank account comes with it!”

Dani stood there with her mouth hanging open. It had never crossed her mind that her mother's motivation was fueled by anything other than her hate for her daughter's lifestyle.

Her blue eyes turned to ice chips. “Is that true, are you trying to break-up our family because of greed?”

Lisa felt Dani's hands start to tremble where they held her arms. The small woman turned around and was shocked to see tears streaming down Dani's face.

She reached-up and started to wipe them away. “It's okay baby, she can't hurt us.”

Dani looked down into her wife's eyes and Lisa was shocked by what she saw, the hurt that she was expecting wasn't there, instead she saw a hate so fierce in it's intensity that it frightened her.

“Dani, listen to me, I want you to calm down. We already know that these proceedings are just to officially say what we already know, there is no way in hell that she can take our boys.”

For the first time in her life, Marilyn was afraid of what her daughter might do. “Danielle, there is absolutely no merit in what was said. My reason for bringing this case was purely out of concern for my grandsons.”

Marilyn said a silent thank you to who ever may have been listening, that Lisa was in between her and her furious offspring.

“If you want money that bad.” Dani reached into her jacket pocket and threw her checkbook at here mother's feet.

“Here, take it. If money is so important to you, have it.”

Marilyn stood still too shocked to move. Lisa stepped in and broke the silence.

“Both of you listen, this is what's gonna happen, we are going to go into the judge's chambers when we are called, then we are going to hear his ruling. After that, Dani and I will be going home to our family and live the rest of our lives, never giving you a second thought.”

She bent over and picked-up the checkbook that Dani had thrown down. She turned her back on the woman and led Dani to the bench.

Marilyn was relieved to have the distance between them. She walked to the other side of the hallway and waited for them to be called.

*******

Everything went the way that their lawyer told them it would. The judge ruled in Dani and Lisa's favor and reprimanded Marilyn for trying to take away children that she had not only never seen, but had never even shown in interest in seeing.

As the couple left the courthouse, Dani glimpsed her mother getting into her car across the parking lot

She rested her arm across Lisa's shoulder and felt her wife's arms encircle her waist. The love that washed over her made her smile.

She looked in her mother's direction one last time, wondering if she would ever see her again, and then in the next moment, not even caring.

*******

After coming home from the courthouse, the women dressed in comfortable clothes and packed-up the kids to take them out on the boat.

Sitting out in the middle of the lake, they sat back with a pole resting between their legs while the kids stood at the rails waiting for a bite.

Dani leaned to the side and rested her dark head on Lisa's shoulder. “You know Beth, life is damned good.”

Green eyes looked down at the thick mass of black hair under her jaw. She couldn't resist so she ran her fingers through it.

“I couldn't agree with you more my love.”

Stan started jumping up and down, screaming with excitement. “I gotta bite, I gotta bite.”

Both women stood to go help the little boy. A huge smile spread across the tall woman's face before she looked down at her wife.